


No One

by theanadalua



Category: Sly Cooper (Video Games)
Genre: Mentions of Death, Other, Slow Burn, conspiricies ftw, long-length fanfic, more to come - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-11
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-05-19 19:49:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 36,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5979082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theanadalua/pseuds/theanadalua
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in Sly Cooper 2: Band of Thieves. If someone could pretend to be anybody they wished to be, say a teenage opossum, a black cat, an elegant racoon, a charming fox or any other, wouldn't that mean the same as being no one?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Episode 0

**Author's Note:**

> I have this story posted in FanFiction.net too, but since I have this account might as well have it here.
> 
> Hey! What was that? = مهلا! ماذا كان ذلك؟
> 
> Again! It's coming from the office! There's someone inside! = !مرة أخرى! انها قادمة من مكتب ! هناك شخص داخل
> 
> Let's bring down the door! = !دعونا إسقاط الباب
> 
> No! The boss will kill us! = لا! المدرب ستقتل لنا!
> 
> Fine! Then open the door, quick! = غرامة! ثم فتح الباب، سريعة!

_That awkward moment_

Cairo.

' _The city of a thousand minarets_ '.

' _The Mother of the World_ '.

These are just three of the many names the capital of Egypt was given throughout the sands of time. Rich in many years of History, traditions, a unique cuisine and architectural marvels (both ancient and modern), it is no surprise that the exceptional amount of tourists that pass by only seems to keep growing year after year. Even if you are with a lover, your family, friends or other students, one of the places you must visit to truly prove you have been in this mysterious country is, without a doubt, the Museum of Natural History.

Commonly known as the Egyptian Museum because of its location, the great building is home to the most extensive collection of ancient worldwide antiquities and artefacts in existence, including the ones representing 5000 years of Egyptian History. Displaying nearly 160 000 items, with many more hundreds of thousands in its basement storerooms, millions of visitors cross its numerous halls and peek inside the spacious exhibition salons, eyes filled with a thirst for knowledge or a simple spark of curiosity.

Recently though, there has been some disappointment lingering in the air too. Due to the many years the construction has celebrated and the many people that get in and out in a daily basis, some corridors have been interdicted its circulation and some rooms had its entrance covered for maintenance or to have its far too valuable treasures replaced/restored. During the day, the workers try to not make too much noise with their activities (it's still a museum, so silence is naturally required), and, during the night, guards make sure nothing is taken away nor disturbed.

For many weeks, the ordinary reigned inside those strong walls and the inhabitants of Cairo blissfully let the routine take over their lives, since their cultural inheritance was safe inside the maroon unbreakable 'castle'.

Well... not anymore.

In a particular starless night, a long rope fell from the roof near the museum's glass entrance, clearly announcing the presence of an intruder. Doors are too mainstream anyway. The trespasser sliding down the same rope, however, was far from average: a grey male raccoon, whose age should be between the late teens and early 20's, with a fluffy grey and black stripped tail, grey pointy ears, a pair of tawny brown eyes and a black cloth mask over them; he was wearing a blue british underground service hat ( _please_ , do not question the accuracy on this one), a blue turtleneck lookalike with a yellow collar and sleeves that reach a little past the elbows, blue gloves that turned yellow from the wrists, a red pocket attached to his left thigh, a yellow belt with a black and grey raccoon-head shaped buckle and blue boots that made no sound once they touched the ground.

No pants could be found.

Still confused about the odd raccoon's identity? Maybe his cane can give you a clue.

...

Yes, a _cane_.

Composed by a wooden pole, its golden metal head formed a 'c' that kept shining under the peaceful moonlight.

Oh! You've recognized him?

...

That's correct! It was no other than Sly Cooper, the _master_ thief himself, who was tiptoeing across the museum's lobby with eyes constantly scanning for any sign of trouble. Finding none, he finally picked the binocucom (an apparently harmless pair of blue and yellow binoculars) from his pocket and looked through it, this way activating the original device with a faint beeping sound. Besides the background view of what was beyond the many windows the building owned, the binocucom provided two small screens. The one on the bottom right corner displayed the blue-clad thief from his shoulders up. On the bottom left, however, it showed something different.

Or rather _someone_.

It was a turtle. Clearly male, the serious expression he had on made him appear to be far older than his obvious partner, which could or not be true. Perhaps between the middle 20's and the early 30's. His reptilian (not amphibious, like it's sometimes mistaken for) skin was a shade of olive green and his of-unknown-colour eyes were behind a pair of thick 50's glasses. He had a british-style safari hat and was wearing a dark-blue safety vest with white short sleeves. Other than this nothing else was observable.

" _Breaker Alpha Foxtrot this is the Wizard, do you read me Sitting Duck_?" came as the turtle's nasal and somewhat statistic voice, his seriousness never wavering.

"This is _Peking Duck_ , I hear you _Blizzard_." the raccoon playfully replied with an equally straight face.

Albeit a fake one.

" _No Sly, I'm 'the Wizard' and you're 'Sitting Duck'._ "

"I read you loud and clear _Lizard_."

" _No I'm..._ " he paused when he noticed the mischievous grin and raised furry brow on the mammal. " _... **forget it** , you're not taking this seriously._" the turtle finished revealing his frustration and impatience towards such childish behaviour.

"Yeah, I'm not." Sly bluntly admitted. "Look Bentley, I know this is your first time out in the field but you've got to _loosen up_." he explained in a calm and understanding tone. "If we're going to get those Clockwerk Parts I need you on your toes. So, in _plain_ talk, what's your status?".

After taking a deep breath to ease his nerves the reptilian proceeded " _ **Well** , I've established myself in the basement and I'm pretty sure I can rewire the service elevator **if**..._ " he emphasised as his partner focused the binocucom on the elevator's closed door. " _...you can power it up from that security station_.".

Security station? Must be the one on the _second_ level by the lobby's left.

The unfazed raccoon, though, simply nodded once he noticed the power switch he had to activate. "Hang tough pal, it might take some time, but I'll figure out a way to get up there." Sly assured before turning the device off and putting it in his pocket. " _Now_ , what are the chances that a nice and forgetful worker left his stairs around here?".

For the looks of it, _none_.

While scratching his head a little in thought, he finally noticed the gigantic round prehistoric drum residing on the lobby's center. Finding no traps or whatsoever, he put some pressure on the stretched skin's surface and found himself smiling in satisfaction. It could _totally_ be used as a trampoline. But was he really going to drag the (most likely) heavy thing _all the way_ to the security station's balcony? Of course not!

Sly was going use the _suspended_ and, must remind you, _**enormous** whale_ skeleton as a bridge to his destination.

... No biggie.

"That drum sure _wasn't_ made in China." the mammal joked after jumping on said instrument and landing on the boned structure with enviable grace. Once he crossed its long spine, he took a leap and executed a midair somersault (what a _show off_ ) towards the balcony, which was where the raccoon soon found himself silently walking to the elevator's side. Without a guard within sight, he passed his cane to his left hand and pulled the switch down with the other one.

" _Okay, I'll splice the wires..._ " resonated the turtle's voice through Sly's earpiece.

**_BZZZTTT!_ **

_"OUCH **!** "._

" _Whoa_! Are you alright, Bentley? That _sounded_ like quite the _**shock**_...".

" _Ha. Ha. Ha. Aren't you the comedy genius..._ ". _**ZAPzapZApzapZaP!**_ " _... Just hold on_... _There it is_." the reptilian warned before a screeching-metal noise erupted from the opening elevator door. The ascending box stopped at the desired floor, despite some struggling, and the elegant safety metal bars promptly allowed the solo occupant to exit it. Inside, before a control panel which had its multiple wires torn apart in all directions, stood the turtle in full view: he was a short fellow, barely reaching half of his partner's chest; his shell had a pleasant navy-blue shade and a brown strap went across it along with his front; a pair of brown gloves covered his hands and bandage hid part of his small feet.

...

If he had a weapon? Oh, _yes_ he did.

I was a wooden crossbow already loaded with a unique kind of darts.

...

What? It's _not_ wierd. Specially if it has something to do with Bentley, the _brains_. "Glad to have you join me in this _lovely_ evening. Now, would you be a _sweetheart_ and take care of that gate?" the raccoon pointed with the cane towards his right where the entrance to his next destination was sealed with a gate compose by iron bars and behind it were many lasers, lights and other sorts of security devices.

The reptilian rolled his eyes as a first reaction to Sly's remark. " _Okay, okay_... Let me just hack that security computer." he declared at the same time he tip-toed until stopping in front of the systems fuzzy blue screen. The blue-clad thief patiently waited by his companion side and he did his tech-wise magic. "The spotlights are offline..." Bentley announced as the lights disappeared. "... there goes the lasers' security system..." came the second notice as the red lines slowly faded into nothing. "... _aaannnddd_ we're now working on the security gate.".

**_CHANK!_ **

**_TIKTIKTIKTIK!_ **

" _Presto_ , all clear." the turtle whispered with a content nod.

"Thanks pal, for your first time out you _did_ pretty well." Sly sincerely complimented with a hand on the reptilian's shoulder.

"Oh _shush_!" he exclaimed with an equal smile after playfully brushing off the raccoon's arm. "This operation is _far_ from complete." Bentley continued as he turned back to proceeded with his work. "Now that the lasers and spotlights are offline, Murray should be moving into position for your rendezvous." he briefly paused to give the mammal his attention. "I'll stay here and provide computer support while you go on ahead. If I find something out of place I'll warn you guys _pronto_.".

Sly replied with a mocking salute. "Sir, _yes_ , _**sir**_!".

* * *

This... was going far _too_ easy.

Half an hour had quickly flew by as the master thief went through the maze of corridors without a worry (he had already studied the fastest way to reach the Clockwerk Parts), avoided the pig guards as if only a shadow disturbed the air (they had been notified about some _subtle_ changes in the security system) and run along ropes as not a soul batted an eye about it (which should had been impossible since he even run on top of some traffic along the way).

"Something is _wrong_ about this place..." was the raccoon's voiced thought as he scratched his chin in suspicion.

"What about it?" questioned the much bigger and taller partner after he stomped the ground so the rock bird-god bust from the corner of the balcony they were currently at would jump and then land on his hands.

This new companion of his was certainly _another_ piece of work: a chubby, and yet muscular, hot pink male hippopotamus whose age should be around Bentley's if not for the friendly look he had, despite the missing large front tooth, this way giving him a youthful aura. He had a pair of black goggles protecting his light marron eyes, racer-style red gloves, a red mask that only covered the top of his head and the back of his neck, a baby-blue T-shirt and boots, a white scarf and like the other two...

... _no_ pants.

"I just don't get it... There were no guards in the lobby, they didn't react when the museum's own ' _head administrator_ ' made an announcement at..." Sly paused to check on his hidden watch. "... two and a half in the _morning_ about the change in security and... and...".

"...You can't shake off the consuming feeling from your stomach that there's something more to it... something _bad_." Murray, the _brawl_ , the last but not least member of the Cooper Gang, completed with his poetic justice.

The master thief's eyes grew wide with surprise.

" _Exactly_! How did you know? Do you feel it too?".

"Why, _of course_! In face of my greatness, one could make the mistake of thinking I am perfect...".

"It's an _understandable_ mistake...".

"...but even I get... _hmm_... **_preoccupied_** that our missions might go astray and one of you guys might get _hurt_.".

Sly really had to smile to that.

"Thanks, Murray. And I'm pretty sure Bentley feels the same..." he trailed off for a bit to lean on his cane. "It could be just _paranoia_ , though. I mean, the administrator could just be one of those _excentric_ rich guys that can't sleep at night without making sure that his public image remains untouched. Thieves don't give much of a help to the cause.".

The hippo nodded in agreement. "Totally! Besides, in my case, it could just be my belly. It has been making funny noises since those _kebab_ we had for dinner." he finished with a hand on his tummy and the other still balancing the bust in the air.

A head shake and a sigh followed. "What did we tell you about going easy on foreign food? You have a strong stomach, but you don't what kind of spic-".

" _Sly, can you hear me_?" erupted from said mammal's earpiece before he put two fingers on it.

"Loud and clear, Bentley. Did something happen?".

There a small moment of silence as if the turtle was trying to find the right words.

" _Well, I hope not... at least not yet... anyway, how are you guys? Is Murray done with his part_?".

**_BANG!_ **

**_CRASH!_ **

"He just _obliterated_ the last gate I needed to, in case you couldn't tell, so I'm going to play it safe and say ' _yes_ '".

" ** _Right..._** " he commented with an unaffected tone before clearing his throat. " _What I wanted to report to you, though, is about the security in the salon where the Clockwerk Parts are resting_.".

Sly's tail twitched in anxiety.

 _"What?_ Is it too strong? Too tight?" he asked more seriously.

Although the gang was only about to complete two years in this line of _business,_ his computer genius had yet to come across a system that could survive his hacking skills. Sure, sometimes it took more time to do so and he isn't always 100% efficient (he's still _human_ ) but other than that...

" _No, it's **worse**... It has already been deactivated_.".

For the second time that night, the raccoon's eyes bugged in surprise which was quickly replaced with a mix of stress and anger. Were they too late? Had someone found out the truth hidden in those parts? Were they planning to rebuild the eternal nightmare he had believed to have defeated not a couple of years ago? No, all their efforts couldn't have gone fruitless. He would _personally_ make sure of that.

His grip tightened around the Cooper cane at the same time he gave a quick look at Murray's then worried features.

**_For all of them._ **

" _I'm not sure if they have been taken, Sly. And I'm the self-entitled **pessimist** in this team_." Bentley admitted, giving the impression he was actually reading the young man's troubled thoughts.

One of his furry brows rose as some of the blue-clad thief's distress was replaced with confusion and curiosity. "Is there something else to it that makes you think otherwise?".

" _Yes, there is. I can't afford the time to determine the exact point **when** our target's security was shut_ _down_ ,..." the reptilian justified with the sound of keys being pressed. "... _**but** I can tell it wasn't the **only** division of the museum whose security has been tempered_.".

Now, that sure _is_ something.

"The building is full of pieces worth millions of coins in the Black Market, but if someone is after the parts then they also know those antiquities mean nothing in comparison. So what salon or hallway could possibly hold just as much importance?".

" _That's the catch, my friend. It's not a simple exhibition room or corridor. It's the head administrator's **private office**_.".

* * *

Silent.

Empty.

Untouched.

This is how one would describe the museum's own headquarters once they entered there. Then, as they took a walk around the room, they would notice the four pure white walls, the two roman columns by the middle of the division, the polished wooden floor, the typically long egyptian carpet that went from the center to under the administrator's antique Neo-Egyptian French Empire style desk ( _no questions_ ), the enormous red and golden curtained window behind the latter, the two red and golden chairs placed for guests, the Oxford University diploma on the wall by the right, the many photographs of archeological expeditions around the world, the four white marble busts representing an ancient god from different mythologies (Egyptian, Greek, Aztec and Indian), the national flag by the left wall and other things the _average_ office would posses.

 _ **ZZzZzZzzZ** zZzZzZt_!

 _Ohmygoodness_! What was that noise?... It was _so_ faint it could had been easily taken for a mosquito.

 ** _ZZzzZzzZz_** _ZZzZzzt_!

There it is again! Did you hear it? It's was coming from... the air vent?

"Good _Lord_... This thing is drier than the Sahara desert." someone whispered at the same time a black gloved hand slowly opened the vent's ornamented lid in a downward motion.

It didn't keep it from producing a small irritating whistle, though.

The hand retracted back to the shadows before a whole body descended from the high improvised entrance, which landed on its feet and gloves with a _very_ soft thud. Getting into a somewhat crouched position, the figure raised its head only to reveal a pair of round white orbs that narrowed in the way normal eyes would. It remained still for a couple of seconds before pacing towards the center of the room. There the moonlight properly illuminated the intruder who then rose to his/her/their feet, in this fashion standing exposed in all of its _dark_ glory: it was using a simple black leather hooded jacket which went a little past the hip line and whose sleeve-ends were hid by the gloves, black pants that were neither tight nor baggy, black boots reaching a bit over the ankles, black not-see-through goggles and a piece of black fabric that covered both mouth and nose. The only visible biological parts were a pair of ( _yet more_ ) black slightly round ears sticking out from the raised hood and a not-so-fluffy black furred tail.

...

Don't look at me like that.

...

I'm the narrator not the writer so I don't know who this fellow is.

...

I'm telling you the truth! He wasn't even on the script!

"There you are..." the trespasser continued in a low voice as he (the voice sounded male thus this assumption) headed to the right side where one of the marble busts was supported for everyone to see. It stood with its back to one of the columns, which was how the other three marble figures were placed. "Horus, the God of Knowledge... and, _of course_ , he was a falcon..." the black body stopped to sigh and shake its head with some annoyance. "Give someone a Ph.D in Ancient History and they think they're the _bloody_ Merlin.".

On top of the emotionless bird's head was sculped a 'u' shaped support for a circular mirror positioned perpendicularly to the ground. Since the bust was facing the mentioned large window, if one put the mirror at the right angle, it would reflect all the light to their face and so resemble the famous Sun Disk of Horus. In full attention for the possibility of an unwanted surprise, the intruder unzipped a third of his jacket and took a folded piece of paper from the inside. After closing it, he unfolded the same piece and read its content before carefully grabbing the upper side of the small mirror.

"Alright,... it's 45 degrees downwards...".

_CLicKcLiCkClIck!_

"... 225 degrees upwards...".

_CLicKcLiCkClIck _cLiCkClIck_!_

"... 135 degrees back...".

 _CLicKcLiCkClIck _cLiCk__!

"... and, the grand finale, a full 360 degrees spin upwards."

_CLicKcLiCkClIck _cLiCk _CLicKcLiCkClIck _cLiCk__ **CLACK**!__

That one last sound, unlike the others, didn't come from the unusual mirror. In fact, from the way the uninvited guest's ears twitched, it resonated from behind him, where a secret small door on the desk's front had unlocked on its own.

His tail flickered in excitement and satisfaction.

"Just like in ' _National Treasure_ '... and I'm loving it.".

With no hesitation of any kind, the dark figure got on one knee in front of the once hidden door and gently opened it completely to reveal an equally hidden dark blue safe.

The white orbs produced from the shadow the hood provided fell in a way that suggested disappointment.

"Really? A _modern_ safe? Of all things?" he stopped with a facepalm. "Mr. _Know-it-all_ owns a TV from the _freaking_ 60's and yet he uses a _modern **safe**_? The old thing still plays in black and white, _fortheloveofGod_!" finished with a sigh. "Unlucky for him, though, I've come prepared.".

After unzipping his jacket one more time, the trespasser put the piece of paper back inside (trash _could_ still be used for evidence) and took out a metallic circular device by the size of his hand. He placed it on top of the safe's keypad and hold it there with his left hand as he used the other one to press the power bottom placed under the small screen it possessed. The machine came to life before three metallic suction cups emerged from its sides and glued it to the safe's surface.

" _Perfect_. Now it's just 5 minutes of waiting for the DNA particles detector to do his job.".

Patiently staring at the progress bar on the screen and giving the occasional glance at any small noise besides the detector's faint humming, the stated time passed and the device let go a 'beep' while it presented the safe's opening code. Pressing once more the power button, the (now obvious) thief turned it off and placed it back, without resistance, inside his jacket.

Where he finds the space for such things and how he makes it unnoticeable is beyond me.

"Now, the magical numbers: 9-2-5.".

**_CHANCK!_ **

The black figure stood with apprehension to the abrupt sound as the safe's handwheel span by itself, this way removing all the locks and pressure from its door. The latter innocently exposed the several different contents which were present inside, ranging from paperwork to a box of rare and (probably) highly expensive ancient jewelry. However, all this was ignored when he went to grab his target, one that happened to be hidden under some letters and documents.

It was a simple CD in a nameless plastic case.

" _Bingo_." he whispered in a dangerous tone at the same time his white orbs narrowed in equal fashion. After opening the plastic case and placing it on the carpet, he summoned a different case that happened to have an identical CD to the one from the safe. As expected, the disks were switched and the plastic compartments were retrieved to their original spots, the thief making sure the papers inside appeared undisturbed. Pleased with his handiwork, he rapidly stood up, took a deep calming breath and placed both hands on the safe's door.

"Let's do this...".

_**BANG!** _

"مهلا! ماذا كان ذلك؟*" was the reaction of one of the guards outside the office to the closing of the safe's door.

_**BANG!** _

"مرة أخرى! انها قادمة من مكتب ! هناك شخص داخل!*" came as the response to the closing of the desk's secret door.

Hearing the growing footsteps towards the room's double wooden doors, the criminal rushed to the Egyptian flag where a small camera was hidden.

 _Oooohhhh_ , so that's how he found out how to get to the secret safe.

Once he had it inside his jacket, he turned to the air vent and, with a mighty jump, reached its ledge. Hoisting himself up, the intruder got inside, pulled the vent's lid and started screwing back the top with the mini electric screwdriver he had left there.

"دعونا إسقاط الباب!*"

"لا! المدرب ستقتل لنا!*"

"غرامة! ثم فتح الباب، سريعة!*" signaled the rattle of keys tempering with the many locks the door was secured with.

" _Mission accomplished_."

**_BANG!_ **

" _SSSTTTOOOOP_!" the dozens of the museum's guards shouted as they entered with a rumble into Mr. Hawkins private office, batons and lanterns pointing in every direction to locate the possible thief. But what was there for the confused security unit to stop? Afterall, there was _no one_ there and everything was in the same way it was left by the head administrator.

Silent.

Empty.

Untouched.

Just like the air vent.

* * *

"This _WASN'T_ part of the _**PLAN**_!".

" _Yeah_ , but this is when things get **_FUN_**!"

If by ' _fun_ ' the confident raccoon meant running from one of the best Interpol agents there is to avoid being electrified by her shock pistol, then _sure_.

Bentley and Murray, on the other hand, weren't big fans of it.

But we are going ahead of ourselves, so, for clarification purposes, let's make a brief recap of what led the Cooper Gang to this troublesome, yet (somehow) _humorous_ , predicament. With the possibility that the Clockwerk parts had already been taken, Sly had lost no time in getting to where they had last been stored, only to find out their worst fear had bitterly come true.

The parts were gone without a trace.

However, that didn't mean the master thief had been alone in the exhibition room, for the two many-thousands-years-old sarcophagus had suddenly opened and (instead of _mummies_ ) two female Interpol agents had come out from hiding.

Alright! It's _introductions **time**_!

The first one to go is the lovely red and yellow fox, whose sharp ears' tips were black, owned beautiful navy blue and curly hair which was partly secured by a long braid, a long fuzzy tail, chocolate-brown eyes, thick eyelashes, painted red thin lips, a small nose and a beauty mark under the corner of her left eye. She was wearing blue pants, a black belt, a pair of brown mid-shin combat boots, a blue laceless cropped top with a zipper on the middle, a yellow jacket and gloves, a blue-collar around her neck with a dangling golden Interpol badge and a ring of the same colour on her left ear. Known for going nowhere without her special red and yellow shock pistol, the athletic, yet curvy, Latin woman was the famous Inspector Carmelita Montoya Fox, here also labeled as the girlfr- _No,wait..._

Someone scratched this and wrote 'the _Ex_ -girlfriend' instead.

...

I hate it when I'm not warned about these _last-minute_ changes on the script.

Anyway, let us go on with the second agent: a bengal tiger with a lavender and purple striped coat, a long thin tail, emerald-green eyes, thick purple lips and a triangular nose. Her black hair and ears were completely covered by a red and yellow ornamented head covering and a golden tiara with a small ruby rested on her forehead. She was also using a light blue cropped top, brown shorts with a blue belt and golden buckle and dirty brown explorer boots. As for weaponry, there was a rope whip on one of her hands and a hunting knife was strapped on top of her left boot. This muscled and exotic Indian beauty was Constable Neyla, the recent partner of Inspector Fox on the stolen parts case.

Sly had had no trouble in recognizing the women, despite the little he knew about the tiger. The fox, however, had left no room for a warm welcome when she had directly accused the raccoon of the robbery that had happened the previous night. Denying with all sincerity, even if the master thief had wished he _had_ been the one taking the parts, was no use, seeing his confession fall in the determined Inspector's deaf ears. Constable Neyla, surprisingly, had shown a different opinion by pointing out the fact that the crime's circumstances were more relatable with a Klaww Gang job. An argument between the two officers had followed, providing the (albeit short) opportunity the young man had needed to get away from there.

And this is how we got to the initial situation.

"You **_can't_** run forever!" Carmelita shouted as she jumped from one side to the other to get better shots, her shower of electrical ' _bullets_ ' never ceasing.

"Doesn't mean we _won't_ try!" Murray shouted back, his tiredness starting to show itself as he struggled to keep up with his short legs.

The chase continued for a little longer before they were able to get some distance from the enraged fox. At that moment, they found themselves in one of those corridors which were getting fixed. Incomplete walls, along with several white covers and scaffoldings to protect everything from the curious turist, were almost everywhere and no artifact or antiquity was within sight. Using the new scenario for their advantage, the blue-clad thief reached an exit door and opened it for the other two. "This is getting a _little_ too hot for you, guys. So I would appreciate if you went ahead and warmed up the van." he mentioned with his head. "I'll keep Carmelita busy. We'll meet up later at the rendezvous point.".

They both nodded in agreement.

"Be careful, Sly..." Bentley whispered with a worried expression as he got first through the door.

"Don't take too long, okay? My belly still has that wierd feeling..." the hippo said with equal care to which the raccoon smiled.

"I won't. I promise, big guy." he assured him before finally closing the door to the two retreating forms.

_**BLAST!** _

_**BOOM!** _

"You're **_all_** going to jail!" the Interpol agent emphasized after having shot at Sly's head, who thankfully had dodged the blow just in time. Giving a quick glance at the still sizzling hole on the door (that could had been _him_ seconds ago) and the threatening female just some feet away from him, the mammal tried to calm his horrified heart, with his cane clutched to his chest, and smooth his fully stood up fur. Specifically his tail which looked like a frizzled mess.

Taking a final deep breath, the thief regained his cool and put on his most charming grin.

 _ **Warning**_ : all fangirls should be tied up, right now, in order to prevent a threat to the public health.

 _Thank you_. You may continue.

"Now, now, Carmelita, I thought you only wanted _me_ and no one else." the master _charmer_ began his attempt of a spell as he took small steps towards the end of the hall they were just crossing.

Inspector Fox narrowed her eyes in response, her pointed gun simply coping his movements. She planed to attack the moment he bolted into action. "I'm after the three of you and any other law-breaker I may come across. That doesn't put you in any special position.".

Sly pouted in sadness, his ears folded. " _Ouch_... That's **_harsh_**. I can feel the goosebumps coming from how cold this place got." he joked whilst he rubbed his arms as if he was trying to get warmer.

Instead of fuming in frustration and irritation like she normally would, the fox smirked in a way that could only mean trouble.

For _him_ , that is.

"Oh, you're feeling cold, ringtail?" she started with no concern, the smirk always present on her face. "Then allow me to warm you uuuuuuuu **uuupp**...!" Carmelita trailed off as a result from having taken a step forward and slipping on a lost steel pipe. Understandably, she lost her balance and was about to fall on her bottom, but, just before the latter happened, she accidentally pulled the trigger and one of the pistol's powerful bolts was fired.

What did it hit?

**_BLAST!_ **

_**BANG!** _

The long and exposed ventilation duct going from one side of the ceiling to the other.

"Oops..." the thief said as both him and the Latin still sitting on the ground eyed the enormous hole the shot produced on the duct.

**_CRACK!_ **

_**CRACK!** _

Alarming metallic sounds resonated through out the extensive hall when something disturbed the weight distribution on the mentioned duct which easily broke into two segments. The segments' new openings began to descend for a couple of seconds before they stopped moving, thanks to the pieces that bolted the rest of the duct to the ceiling.

Inspector Fox moved first. "Great. Just _great_. I can hear the major bill _and_ the lecture I'm getting for this already." she finished with a sigh at the same time she got up and brushed off the dust from her pants, her pistol still pointed to the young man.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you but that's not what I'm hearing right now." he mentioned, ears straightened, in the damaged ventilation system's direction with his cane. The same thing that allowed the duct to crumble seemed to making the noises one would make if they were going against its walls or, dare say, sliding it.

"..aaaaa _aaAAAA **AAHHHHHH**_!" grew the scream just before _someone_ came out from the segment on the left. Due to the stranger's reflects, though, he or she was able to grab the ducts irregular edge with his or her left hand.

"There's someone up there!". Sly turned to the agent. "We've got to help!".

Without him noticing, Carmelita had lowered her weapon and had summoned a walkie-talkie from her jacket.

"This is Inspector Fox requesting back up, I have a civilian about to fall from a life-threatning height, I repeat life-threatning, do you copy?" she ordered with great speed and urgency but only got static as an answer. " _ **Damn it**_! It's not working. We'll have to improvise with what we have around here." the Latin said, walkie-talkie back inside her jacket.

The master thief raised a furry eyebrow as he went to grab a large white cover from one of the walls.

" _We_?".

"Don't push it, ringtail.".

While things on the ground buzzed with activity, the anonymous ' _civilian_ ' was trying to maintain his/her/their rapidly weakening grip and at the same time reach inside his/her/their partly opened black jacket.

" _Don'tlookkdowndon'tlookdowndon'tlookdown_..." repeated the mantra before he/she/they finally took with a shaky hand the desired object. White orbs shifted into a hopeful expression. " _ **YES**_! I've got it!".

It was a black grappling hook gun.

**_CRACK!_ **

Which needed to be used _immediately_ if the stranger didn't want to turn into black soup.

" _PULL_ , _**NOW**_!" Carmelita barked as she and Sly watched terrified, from their respective scaffoldings, the figure's hand slipping after the abrupt shake the duct had made. A cover was already stretched between them to easy his/her/their fall.

But there was no need. For when the strange person began to descend with his/he/their back to the ground, the hook was shot and successfully got stuck to the stone ceiling. After going through some meters ( _feet_ if you prefer), a tiny switch was flicked on the gun's side and its rope suddenly ceased unwinding, gravity greeted the so-called ' _civilian_ ''s body in full force. _He_ had reached half the distance from the ceiling to the ground, so, due to the fact that they had yet to get down from the scaffoldings, the raccoon and the fox could once and for all fully see _who_ exactly they had been about to save.

It was the black-clad thief.

"Oh _my_..." he said sheepishly as his white orbs darted from a shocked face to the other, gloved hands refusing to let go the grappling gun.

"What an awkward situation...".


	2. Episode 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two thieves and an inspector walk into a bar... and one of them gets a burn.

_Burn, baby, burn_

"... A ninja?" Sly asked out loud in complete disbelief. "We almost rescued... _a ninja_?".

Excitement filled his eyes as a lopsided grin of amusement appeared on his face. Someone is clearly a fan of these legendary warriors. "I've always wanted to meet one since I was eight but I never imagined it was going to be _**this**_ way. Too much _sushi_ , I guess..." he commented with a teasing tone.

The white orbs staring at the raccoon had remained wide for some seconds, giving the impression that the ' _ninja_ ' had yet to process the true dimension of his delicate situation. Then they shifted in a way that resembled half-lidded eyes, the accusation having brought him from whatever thoughts which might had been running inside his mind.

_How_ _marvelous..._ The still-nameless thief sighed internally. Certainly, this had to be some sort of punishment, if you think about it: what are the chances of one crossing paths with the infamous Sly Cooper AND the dangerous Inspector Fox at the **same** time on the **middle** of a heist? And here he had hoped it was going to be a calm night... _Oh well,_ no point in wondering now, he was already trapped, either he acknowledged it or not. So the most wise decision to make at the moment would be thinking of an exit strategy. It wasn't going to be a walk in the park, that was certain, mainly because everybody (common people or not) knew how unpredictable both the Interpol agent and the internationally wanted mammal could be.

However, there was something else about them which could be used to his advantage...

"My most sincerest apologies, _Great Master Thief Cooper..._ " he paused to slightly bow his head. "... but I must inform you that I am no such thing as a ninja. I hope this is enough to justify my less than... **_graceful_** entrance.".

As the black-clad figure had predicted, the raccoon caught on his playful attitude making his smile grow even more. He was known for being a natural charmer and entertainer, there for, after years interacting with the serious and strict Inspector Fox, the faceless intruder believed the former wasn't used to (possible) competitors who played along with his musings or possessed a sense of humor at all.

An invisible smirk formed under his black cloth.

_Step one completed._

"Whoa, hold on there... You don't need to be so formal, just call me Sly. But I must admit..." he started wondering with a hand on his chin and the other still holding the white cover, his cane having been secured on his back before the whole ordeal. "... the tittle sure has a nice _ring_ to it... Anyway, that aside, we have to do something about the unequal _positions_ in our acquaintanceship.".

"Unequal _positions_?" the stranger innocently asked, the orbs back to their full moon shape and head slightly tilted to the side, while trying to cope with his tired hands and the painful double-meaning behind his purposely chosen words.

Sly's short answer was filled with intrigue: "Well, _yes_.". He couldn't help it, though, this new acquaintance was a true odd ball. Usually there would be a reaction ranging from uninterest to pure rage from this kind of provocation. However, said odd ball, unlike a tough cookie he remembered, was unaffected by it. Almost as if he was trying to get something from _him_ and not the other way around. Maybe _he_ was the one being played.

The last thought brought a smirk of approval.

_This should prove to be interesting..._ "For starters,..." the master thief continued. "... you already know who I am but I can't say the same about you. So, care to enlighten me, _Mounsier_ No-such-thing-as-a-ninja?".

_**CLICK!** _

"Then, how about we begin with what he _isn't_ , Cooper.".

And speaking of tough cookies...

The two criminals turned, for the first time, to the female fox, her shock pistol ready to fire at any second and her side of the white cover forgotten on the ground. A scowl was present on her lips and if you were feeling bold enough to stare at her narrowed eyes, you would notice the flash going across them from time to time.

She had recognized _him_.

"As you saw not long ago, this crook is no ninja and can hardly be considered a 'civilian'." Carmelita explained the latter fact with some frustration, feeling suddenly foolish for having even considered such a thing. "The authorities of Angola, Hong Kong and Brasil have been trying to hunt him down for the last three years after he robbed some of the most powerful and influential people of the world!" she proceeded as her gaze concentrated only on the culprit's white pseudo eyes.

"He is No One, the _demon_ thief."

...

I got my script fixed so I'm not going to tell you anything.

_**THUD!** _

But I can inform you that that sound was the rest of the white cover hitting the ground.

"...No One? You're saying _this_ guy here..." the blue-clad mammal emphasized by pointing both free arms towards his general direction. "... is **_the_** thief that, according to rumours, single-handedly fought and took out 100 alligator guards during a hei-".

"Actually, they were just 13 and I might have cheated a _bit_ , so I understand your dou-".

" _ **SILENCE**_ , YOU TWO!".

" _Yes, ma'am_..." they replied at the same time the infuriated vixen, their full attention once more on her.

"Now, get your _furry_ tails down there before I shoot your heads in the next ten seconds!" she extended the order with a vicious snarl. At least you could tell she flossed.

" _Yes, ma'am_..." Inspector Fox heard automatically while getting down in silence from her scaffolding, the criminals never leaving her or her pistol's sight. No One (finally there's a name to use) flicked the same previously used switch on the grappling gun's side, except this time on the opposite direction, this way allowing it to unwind its rope at a quick, yet stable, pace. When he got his feet on the floor, a small button was pressed and the hook released its grip on the museum's ceiling. While it was free falling, its attached rope was being collected to the device's inner deposit, producing a metallic noise once the hook hit the gun's muzzle.

The black figure closed and opened his hands a couple of times to regain some feeling in them before rolling his shoulders for the same purpose. Then he eyed the black weapon still on his possession with some sadness expressed through his white orbs, a heavy sigh going through the black cloth covering his mouth. "It's over...".

"What did you say?" Carmelita inquired in a more calm state as her ears perked to listen better to the whispering young man. The raccoon didn't have to try that much for, after skillfully descending his scaffolding and getting closer to other two by the woman's command, he was simply 4 feet from the fully clothed person on his right.

"I said..." No One began before placing the grappling hook gun on the floor in front of his boots. "... it's over. I've been caught while I was leaving from a theft, so it doesn't matter what I say or do, since I'm obviously guilty.". He raised his hands in the air in an act of surrender. "You've won fair and square, Inspector. Congratulations.".

To claim that these couple of words _surprised_ the vixen would be the understatement of the century.

Her eyes were wide like saucers, the mouth ajar, and her eyebrows had raised to such an extent that they hid behind her bangs. Even her pistol had lowered a little. This result, of course, was planned by the deceiving thief who deduced that, since the Interpol agent was a woman, she wasn't always taken seriously by her peers or the criminals (except for the master thief, apparently) when it came to her job. The media didn't give much of a help, not with those questionable headlines they make about the vixen's achievements. Anyhow, it's a sad truth in our society which was just proven by how taken back she was.

_Step two completed._

H-he was turning himself in? Just like that?... No, it couldn't be. Far too suspicious. _It's a trap_ , she persisted in her mind. He was trying to distract her, catch her off guard. But it wouldn't work because, unfortunately for him, it took a lot more than this to do so. Years chasing the flirtiest thief she had ever been assigned to in her entire career taught her to expect the unexpected. To beat the enemy one must think like them and predict their next move before they execute it.

Carmelita returned to her previous stance with a renovated and determined look on her face.

"Nice try, it's a pity your **_confession_** didn't work though. I _know_ you're up to something..." she stated as a confident grin grew with each word.

Sly, from his perspective, wasn't so sure. He was clearly confused about the new turn of events, mainly what was the other thief planning. No One had been longer in active thievery than he did (for how long exactly nobody knew) and the former's reputation only kept growing after what happened last year. Obviously, he wasn't going to throw everything away so easily. Then again, neither he nor the lawful woman could read the masked criminal from beyond his pseudo eyes, which concealed his true intentions... and the reason why he was at the museum in the first place.

_Time to be a good boy and listen quietly,_ he concluded whilst he too raised his hands in defeat.

The gesture was only acknowledged by the Inspector who gave him a quick glance before turning to the abrupt sound coming from the floor.

It was the grappling gun sliding towards the fox's feet.

"There... You need proof besides my words, so I present you my baby girl. But, _please_ , be gentle. She hasn't taken a nap yet." the black figure informed, his orbs expressing an abnormal concern.

Instead of granting reassurance like it was intended, Carmelita only grew more restless as her whole body tensed. Should she just pick it up? Would he come up with another surprise?... Nevertheless, there was no other option.

And so, with the shock pistol hardly moving, she lowered herself, grabbed the cursed object and attached it to her belt when she was standing once more. No One hadn't moved at all, not even a flinch or twitch was seen, his posture in full attention and, at the same time, almost eerily calm. The other _one_ however...

"You've been awfully quiet, ringtail. If I didn't know you any better, I would say you've lost your _tongue_.".

The reaction was instantaneous.

"Oh, I truly appreciate your concern for my well-being, Inspector Fox, but I was just trying to be polite by not interrupting your conversation. Additionally, I've been pondering questions of my own regarding... him." the raccoon indicated with his head.

The vixen raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Sure, Cooper had the tendency to fool around when it came to their chases, however, if the situation involved anything of his interest, he wouldn't hesitate in taking the lead. Not to mention, whatever had signs of his gang's presence, it normally had connections to something or someone illegal and threatening to the public safety.

What called a thief, called a cop.

"What do you want to know?" she finally asked in a cautious tone.

"Let's start with what gave him away. I should had been the one recognizing him, since we share the same line of business, yet you beat me to it. How?".

"The alligators.".

Sly and Carmelita turned to the culprit of their doubts in a blink of an eye, completely unprepared to be clarified so openly by him of all people.

"It was them, wasn't it? Up until Hong Kong, I've done my best to not be seen, much less photographed, by anyone. That's why the authorities haven't caught me... _u_ _ntil now_." he paused to send a glance to the Inspector, which somehow wasn't hostile, simply sad. "But, as it goes with any plan, mine wasn't safe from the unpredictable and I was left with no alternative other than facing the security unit. They were too many, though, so I decided to scare them a _teeny-tiny_ bit first." he ended with his index and thumb almost touching each other.

Anger made its triumphal return to the woman's face. "Just a _bit_? Those guards had to receive therapy for half a year because they thought a white-eyed _**demon** _ was going to attack them during the night!" was her shout of indignation.

"Like I said, _not_ safe from the unpredictable." No One shrugged showing no remorse which made the Interpol agent fume and boil even more.

"So you knew who he was by his.. ' _eyes'_ alone?... Have you been shooting other criminals behind my back, Inspector?" the master thief joked.

"Don't be ridiculous." she hissed between gritted teeth towards both questions. "According to the report the Interpol received, some of the witnesses saw something else shinning in the dark just below the _demon orbs_. It was rectangular shaped and probably metallic... like a zipper's slider. All I had to do was connect the dots while you _ladies_ were busy befriending each other.".

That pretty much says everything.

The blue-clad thief nodded, showing he understood the whole explanation. "I see... Then there's only one more thing I want to know." he announced before he turned to the figure on his right.

"What did you steal?".

No One flinched in a way that resembled a child being caught doing something naughty, tail flickering rapidly from side to side and the like. It was the sign, albeit subtle, that he was hoping this subject would go untouched. Rather bizarre for someone who would have to face it, sooner or later, since he had turned himself in moments ago. And yet that was enough to make the demon thief's 'mask' fall in front of their eyes.

Carmelita extended an open palm on his direction.

"Give it to me."

But the criminal hesitated.

"If you're trying to come up with one of those _fancy_ excuses of yours, stop right now. My patience has a limit and this charade has gone far too long. _Therefore_..." she moved her gloved fingers expectantly. "... hand it over.".

Seconds passed and the tension in the air thickened constantly, reaching a level where a simple step or sudden move could ignite (as a lightened match in a gas chamber) an explosion.

A _shock bolts_ kind of explosion.

" ** _Fine_**..." No One sighed in resignation whilst his white orbs went back to their half-moon state. Fully ignoring the anxious eyes observing his every movement, he grabbed a side of his jacket with a hand and dug inside it with the other. It seemed the black figure had a lot of stuff in there, because he was clearly struggling to get the stolen object. Sly imagined a tongue sticking out from frustration, if he could see the young man's face, and the Interpol agent chastised herself for not having checked him for more potential weapons. "Here it is...".

It was a small cardboard box.

"I'm going to throw it, so you better catch it, okay?" the deceiver warned before he took action.

The Latin found nothing out of ordinary about the box once it landed on her palm. The package couldn't be bigger than a Rubik cube and was sealed with some duck tape. What was important enough for such a wanted thief to give himself the risk? Was this little thing what he was truly after? There was obvious reluctance from his part...

"What's in it?" she inquired with her piercing eyes.

"A jewel. A very ancient and expensive one at that. Can I see it to make sure it didn't bre-".

_**BLAST!** _

_**BANG!** _

"Don't you dare take another step!" the vixen threatened after she shot the ground not far from his boots, producing a hole in the white cover.

The bristled furry tail was all she needed as a reply.

"You, Cooper, get here and open this for me. If you try anything funny, the next victim won't be the floor.". Carmelita didn't like this kind of predicament, but she couldn't hold her gun _and_ open the box at the same time. Besides, she had too little about No One's tricks, other than pretty words and torturing that is.

Sly gulped as a bead of sweat fell on his temple. This woman never bluffed, experience had proven him that to last a lifetime. "I wouldn't dream of it, Inspector Fox." he added a nervous chuckle before he moved to respect her command.

While the raccoon took the box and delicately removed its duck tape, the agent kept alternating her attention between the close robber and the more distant one, who had his arms raised for the second time. With the top tape free, he let the sticky piece fall to the floor and flipped the side flaps to reveal the package's content.

There was no jewel inside.

_**BOOM!** _

Just a smoke bomb.

Coughing was the first sound of life that emerged from the expanding grey cloud, who it belonged to it still wasn't visible. A minute or so flew by and the smoke started to clear at a quick rhythm. The female fox took advantage of it and fervently searched for the two criminals.

They were gone.

And so was the grappling hook gun.

Her shoulders shook in pure rage before she unleashed a mighty scream profaning the black-clad thief's name.

A mocking laugh echoed through out the museum's halls in response.

_Mission accomplished._

**_Again._ **

* * *

" _Hahaha_... I can't believe that actually worked! _Ha_!".

As you may have already deduced, the person rejoicing in relief across the corridors (far away from the _crime scene_ ) was no other than No One. Now with his gun back and properly zipped jacket, he was looking for the particular air vent that would lead him to a safe exit. Understandably, there were some guards patrolling the part of the building where the vent was located, proving an obstacle to his goal.

"Not a problem. Compared to the _**nightmare**_ I just had, this is a piece of cake." he whispered while peeking around a corner for any trouble.

"Do you always talk to yourself?".

With a mixture of shock and surprise, the fugitive twirled around in full alert to the voice's source, fists raised in a fighting stance and white orbs narrowed threateningly. Realization of who it was made his 'eyes' widen for a couple of seconds, only to have them return to their dangerous shape later on.

" _Sly Cooper_... How reckless of me to think I had lost you back there." he said in a strangely serious tone.

The master thief was standing with his cane leaning on his shoulder, a hand on his hip and a smug smile openly present from having startled the mysterious figure. He too hadn't expected the tiny box to, literally, _blow_ _up_ on his face, but after having breathed the smoke a couple of times and noticing it wasn't poisonous, he found it harmless enough to leave the vixen behind and follow the fleeing young man.

...

What he wanted from him exactly?

We might find out soon.

"Come on! Don't be so hard on yourself. Remember? _No one_ is perfect." the mammal teased with his classic play on words.

However, unlike the previous times, No One didn't counter back with equal humor, the pun passing by completely ignored. He wasn't in the mood for jokes. "If you came after that jewel, forget it. It don't have it. And whatever it is that I _do_ have with me, it won't interest you... nor will I let you get it." he informed him straightforwardly while his voice lowered similar to a warning.

"I'm not after any treasures... _tonight_." Sly finished whilst smirking to himself. Then, out of the blue, his demeanor turned uncharacteristically grave as his lips formed a thin line, the eyebrows furrowed and both hands fell to his sides (one of then still holding his weapon). "I'm looking for answers.".

Despite the small comfort he felt when there was no demand for what he carried, the black-dressed acquaintance felt distrust inflating in his gut, which he didn't bother to hide from the raccoon. "I already gave them, _remember_? I don't know why you want to turn this into '20 Questions' all of a sudden.".

"The Inspector was there and I don't want her involved. Besides, it's not that many, just one. After that, I won't bother you anymore. You have my word as a Cooper." he promised with a raised hand.

_Oooooh, the Cooper line, that's right_... No One thought about the memory. If the gossip in the Underworld was correct, those that belonged to the famous thieving family carried their name very carefully, for the original legacy dated many centuries back and they didn't want to be responsible for tainting their ancestors' heritage. Sly was the only known descendent and, so far, he had been able to restore their former glory, no shame in admitting it.

"Very well... " he began before lowering his fists and taking a more comfortable posture. "5 minutes.".

Satisfied, the blue-clad thief proceeded: "Tell me, and be _honest_ , are you working for the Klaww Gang?".

No One's white orbs automatically grew to their full-moon shape.

_Uh-Oh_... Wrong question, kid! _**Wrong question**_!

"Klaww Gang... you think I work... _for **them**_?" came out rhetorically as he started to move towards the mammal. "Th-those extremely poor _excuses_ of living creatures whose only purpose is to _milk_ money from other people no matter what the _**cost**_? Even if it means exploiting addicts, destroying proprieties, wrecking families and... _murdering_ innocents?!" he continued in a contained shout, revulsion and rage spilling from every word. At this point, his face had gotten truly close to the master thief's, so much their chests almost touched and the latter could see the former's goggles under the hood.

Sly had to suppress a shiver. That hatred plus the reflecting glass on the round goggles had brought pieces from his past that he would rather keep buried. He didn't doubt anymore, though, the feelings were too real to be feigned.

"Alright, I believe you. I'm sorry for even implying it." he stated firmly without ever breaking eye contact or moving at all.

" _Damnrightyouare_..." the black fugitive mumbled as he backed off from the other's personal space and crossed his arms. The pseudo 'eyes' still had to leave his form, thus the extended hand the raccoon offered, after a moment of silence, couldn't be dismissed.

"So, we _cool_?" he hoped in his playful self at the same time he offered a genuine smile.

Neither a smirk nor a smug grin.

A simple smile.

And it suited him. _Darn_...

Silently, No One uncrossed his arms, sighed profoundly and, only then, shook the thief's right hand. He was wiling to offer some trust to this unique young man, although still under his watchful 'eye'. Cooper was labeled as a robber with morality, no matter how contradictory it sounded, and until now the little he had heard about him has been correct. _Let's just hope I won't regret this..._

"Yeah, yeah... We _cool_.".

Noticing the older criminal's orbs shift into half-moons and his calmer voice tone, Sly's smile doubled in size, much to the other one's dismay. He opened his mouth to say something...

_"... **Sly**? Sly, are you there?"_.

... but was rudely interrupted.

The grey creature broke the handshake and asked his _pseudo_ ally to wait before he placed two fingers on his ear.

"I've got to give it to you, Bentley, your timing has yet to disappoint me.".

" _Sly! By Leonardo's beard, what happened? Murray and I have been waiting for almost an hour and we can't even spot your tail!_ ".

"Sorry about that, guys." he chuckled sheepishly. "Things just got a little more complicated since _someone_ decided to _ **fall**_ between me and Carm- _Imean_ , Inspector Fox." the master thief caught himself as his new acquaintance rolled his 'eyes' to the hidden reference.

" _Hm...Who is it?_ " the turtle hesitated with wariness.

"You're not going to believe this, but I have **_No One_** right in front of me.".

" _...Did you really just give me a near heart attack to tell a bad joke? Seriously, after all th-_ ".

"No,no,no. This isn't a joke." the mammal assured his companion as the one he had tried to announce snorted in amusement. "It's _the_ No One, you know, the guy that stole under that anaconda's nose back in Brasil?

" _Oh... **OH**! OHMYEINSTEIN, Sly, are you **okay**?! He didn't do anything? Is he a **threat**_?!".

Shaking his head good-naturally, the raccoon continued. "Yes, _mom_ , I'm fine. No, he didn't. And yes, he could be but, for the time being, he isn't." he paused to look at the person in question, who had an orb smaller than the other resembling a cartoon character raising an eyebrow. "To prove me so, he even _volunteered_ himself to guide me out of the museum.".

" _ **WHAT**_?!" was the mutual answer of both the reptile and the demon thief, to which Sly had to cover his ears. "I _never_ agreed to that! Did we make a _deal_ in the first place? **_No_** , we didn't, Mister Cooper, because the only thing _I_ remember is your promise of never bothering _me_ again!" the hooded creature commented in indignation.

"But I don't know where the closest exit is! And before you say something like ' _you should had studied the building plans_ ',..." the mammal mimicked Bentley's voice. "..., in my defence, I did. What puzzles me is the fact that some walls have disappeared and others have been moved." reasoned the exasperated master thief.

"You can thank the workers and the robbery from last night for that.".

"See? You're perfect for the job! So, _please, please, please_ , help me out..." he pleaded with his hands grabbing each other, a trembling lower lip and... _oh no..._

... big and round _puppy_ eyes.

No One released a tired groan as his gloved hand went inside the hood to scratch his neck. What has he gotten himself into? It's true that he had decided to give the guy some credit but... so soon? How can this fool behave so casually with a stranger after having been tricked by him? He bet he would just follow him around, whether he helped him or not. _And I thought I was confusing..._

"I honestly can't tell who's crazier: the idiot that, for some reason, trusts me enough to take him out of here or the _bigger_ idiot that's actually agreeing to do so.".

Lighting-up like a kid on Christmas Day proved to be one of the blue-clad thief's many talents.

"Personally, I would bet my money on the first one. And as for the reason you want to know, let's just say meeting someone that doesn't attack me on sight deserves a big plus on my book." he responded in his frisky attitude.

"... Point taken."

" _Are you really sure about this, Sly? I don't like where this idea is going_... _and neither does Murray's belly_... _don't ask_." the turtle returned to the communicator after hearing the entire exchange.

"Absolutely. You guys stay hidden from the police and try to not waste too much gas. I won't take long. Sitting Duck, _out_." Sly confirmed with all seriousness.

It was quiet for a couple of seconds before a sigh was heard due to the ear piece.

" _Okay... Take care. Wizard, out_.".

When the raccoon turned back to his guide, the latter was waiting with his arms crossed and his head was crooked to the side.

"Cute code name." No One teased.

"Why, thank you, that's very nice. Now..." the young man stopped to join his palms in a praying position. "... where to, _sensei_?" he finished while bowing his upper body.

The result was the black figure's 'eyes' turning into half-circles and he walking ahead (somewhat annoyed, mind you) around the corner towards their destination. The ' _student_ ' was never far.

"You're not going to let go the whole ' _me being a ninja_ ' thing, are you?".

"Not after you pulled that smoke bomb.".

* * *

The Ancient Greece wing.

Pottery, sculptures, currency, weaponry, paintings and other artifacts filled the many salons and corridors this segment of the museum possessed. The themes they expressed ranged from the humble mediterranean agriculture to the mighty domain of the Olympian gods. Each piece could tell us a story of its own, one that survived the thousands of years they have been in existence to reach the future generations and prevent the once great Greek Empire to be forgotten.

**_BAM!_ **

So much for a History lesson...

"It's all clear, we can get out."

**_THUD!_ **

**_THUD!_ **

Two crouched figures in the shadows rose to their feet after having dropped from the then opened air vent. All I have to say is that they were a raccoon and somebody dressed from head to toe in black.

Sly whistled in a low note.

"I must say, my friend. You're stronger than what I thought. Seriously, look at this..." he stared at the vent's weakened lid. "... it's almost falling from its hinges and you even dented it a little.".

"That's because the ventilation system is very old and they have yet to replace the lids with new ones. It's not like I'm Superman or something." the dark fugitive explained unpassionately as he headed to the left, posture ready to spring at any surprise. "And I'm not your friend.".

The mammal found no trouble in catching up with him. "You've done your homework, good. No need to be a killjoy, though.".

"I may be a _killjoy_ but at least I don't put my faith on people I barely know so easily." the other one criticized without turning to the master thief.

"I know that you're not a bad guy."

No One froze abruptly on his tracks at the statement.

"...You... you really think so?".

Surprise filled the grey creature, clearly taken back by the _dejected_ voice.

"Well... yes, of course." he confirmed as he got in front of the strange young man. Only two thin white lines were visible from his orbs, for he was staring at the floor rather solemnly, and his ears were dropped in equal fashion. He wasn't pretending and Mr. Ringtail couldn't be more buffled at this development. "You don't think the same?".

Shoulders rose and fell as the demon thief took a deep breath through his nose.

"It's not that... _I_ don't believe so, it's more lik-" he cut himself once he looked up and saw the emotions swimming on the raccoon's brown eyes. Was that... _concern_... for _**him**_? _Good Lord, I have go get out of here..._ "Forget it, Cooper, it's not something for you to worry about." he continued after clearing his throat. Loudly. "Except, maybe, that spider web on your hat.".

" _OhJeez_!" Sly shrieked as he grabbed the accessory with his free hand and waved it in the air in hopes of cleaning it. "I hate it when that happens. Why didn't you warn me sooner?" he wondered as he put the webless hat back on his head.

A gasp of dramatic shock escaped the black figure before he walked around the accuser. "Are you implying that _moi_ deliberately executed such a disgraceful act?".

" _Yup_."

"Oh! Heavens above, what has the world come to?" the improvising actor pledged to the ceiling (with a gloved hand on his forehead, essential for tragedies) at the same time he disappeared around the corner just some feet away.

After rolling his eyes to the evident attempt of changing subjects, the raccoon took the same course the other thief did while a betraying smile grew on his face. "I think you need to check your card deck, not-my-friend. You've already used that trick and it won't work twice. Anyway, are we far from the... " he trailed off the moment he turned the corner and saw what they were looking for right before him.

"The exit?" No One completed with a tail flicking in satisfaction, being up to now outside in a large balcony that happened to have a street just below. "Do not fret, princess, for you are officially free.".

Chuckling all the way, the mammal got quickly to the odd ball's side. "You weren't kidding when you said we were close.".

" _Pffft_ , yeah right. I never fool around during my mission. Even if I am _forced_ to do favors that may delay it since a certain _someone_ doesn't keep their promises." the one labelled as a demon added with a sore expression.

"But how can _I_ be a bother when I'm such a joy to be with?" the master thief defended smoothly once he put aside his curiosity over said 'mission'. "And I think you agree, otherwise why did you stop being so mean to me like you were half an hour ago?".

"Currently, I _tolerate_ you. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Well... I guess for a beginning that's good enough. So I'll take it."

_**BUMP!** _

In agitation, both criminals span to the noise, which resembled one accidentally colliding with a vase.

It was Inspector Carmelita Fox.

" _JUMP_!"

_**BANG!** _

_**BLAST!** _

" ** _Aaaargh_**!" was the blue-clad young man's grunt of agony after getting hit by a shock bolt when he was on the middle of a back flip. His body fell heavily on the balcony's floor and, due to the momentum from the effort of avoiding the blow, he skidded a bit on his back before halting completely, his hand still holding the beloved cane.

" _SLY_!" called the other young man who remained unscathed thanks to having front flipped to the side, opposite to the mammal's direction. He could only watch as the latter tried to get up using his elbows but the insufferable pain forced him to slump back unceremoniously on his left side. Though his new position made the two present people face his back, the injury was finally in full view for them to see.

An alarming looking burn occupying half of his right side.

_No... please, God, not this..._ No One begged by slightly shaking his head in denial as time seemed to freeze at the speed the thoughts plagued his mind. Why? _Whywhywhywhywhy_ is it always him? What had _he_ done wrong? Was this a way to test him? To see if he was going to let the same happen like... in _that_ **_one_** time?

His white orbs suddenly narrowed in mix of resolution and determination.

No, it wouldn't be like _that_ one time.

"HEY, Miss Cop!".

Carmelita rotated her head to her right, the first movement since shooting the raccoon. Her eyes were wide in such a way they gave the impression they were getting off their sockets. Even their pupils had shrunk frightfully. The woman's hands twitched occasionally which loosed their grip on the crime weapon.

She was drowning in guilt.

"Do you feel better now? Did you really have to hurt him?" the angered thief inquired with a restless tail whilst moving towards the mammal cursing at another failed try at rising to his feet. "Look at _him_! Look at what you've _**done**_!" he indicated through his hand.

"But... but I never set it in this mode... I-I only stun... I-I..." the Interpol agent stammered, gaze on the pistol shaking on her hand. "...I don't understand..." she confessed truly confused. Inspector Fox would solely hurt a criminal in a hand-to-hand situation, if it so required, and the damage would never be permanent. She believed doing the contrary meant one lowering themselves to the crooks' level, thus her choice in only stunning them and using the other modes to destroy lifeless obstacles.

The Latin's sincerity was not ignored by the hooded figure.

"Maybe it's because you've gone blind. The world it's not as black and white as you think." he proposed when he stopped just a couple of feet from the curled grey creature. "Here, let me _illuminate_ you.".

**_BANG!_ **

A blinding white explosion erupted from the balcony after No One had thrown a flash bomb between him and the red woman. She practically howled the moment she felt her eyes stung, vision temporarily missing for the next couple of minutes. The demon thief wasn't affected thanks to his goggles and he wasn't going to allow such an opportunity go to waste once he reached his target. So, as fast as Sly's wound could handle, he put one of his arms around the covered neck and helped him stand up. With one of his own arms around the raccoon's shoulders for stability, they slowly walked to the balcony's near by stone railing and got on top of it. The poor guy simply kept hissing in pain.

"It's going to be okay, Sly. We're almost there." the rescuer assured as he released his right hand (the one which was holding the mammal's arm around his neck) to fish out his grappling hook gun. After properly securing the hook on the railing and tightening his grip on the young man, he asked the latter to hang on him, which he obeyed in a groggy state once he had his cane in his back. A jump and a flick of a switch later, the two were descending safely to the street's sidewalk. "Where's your meeting point?" the older thief asked when they felt the ground once more.

"Over... there." was his answer, along with a gloved finger pointing to an alley on the other side of the road and deep exhausted breaths.

"Alright, I assume it's not far, but we've got to get there fast so..." No One paused to put both of the injured's arms circulating his neck, turn his back to him and lower himself. "... you're going to need a ride.".

Understanding what he meant, the raccoon leaned chest-first on the black figure's back, always mindful of the pain, and let him grab his legs for a piggy-back ride.

"Please... don't tell me I'm... heavy.".

"I'm sorry but you _are_." the rescuer finished with a grunt as he got clumsily to his full height. "However, if it serves of any consolation, I can handle it... somehow.".

Crossing the street proved to be easy, for at that time of the night there were, fortunately, no cars. Once they were halfway to the alley, blaring sirens polluted the silent and peaceful night as numerous police cars chased a passing by blue van with flames painted on its front and the Sly Cooper symbol on its side.

Aren't they the very epitome of subtlety?

"Okay, we are at the alley, now what?" the hooded figure asked the grey mess looking over his shoulder.

"Go... right." he instructed weakly.

Fighting the sickening smell of burned flesh and the tiredness invading his legs, No One worked his way through the narrow cobbled paths thanks to Sly's guidance. Just when the carrier thought they were lost, they ended up in a dead end where the Cooper van was just arriving with its back doors opened.

A turtle was waiting in the vehicle's back.

" _ **SLY**_! _HolyArquimedes_ , what happened?" he exclaimed as the stranger approached him with his wounded friend. " _ **You**_! Who are you and what did you do to him?" Bentley accused in pure hatred.

The demon thief paid him no mind, though, and rapidly climbed inside to gently lay down the other thief who was now struggling to remain conscious. "It's a long story but the short version is that he got shot by that vixen-".

"Carmelita _shot_ Sly?!" the pink hippo shouted with shock as he looked at the group from the driver's seat. "But she never burns him!"

"Yeah, that's how she reacted too." the dark rescuer replied Murray, who only then did he notice. "So it's likely that her pistol was sabotaged or something along those lines." he continued as he started to get up since he believed the injured was safely settled.

The mammal grabbed one of his wrists.

"Wait, No One,... the police... they are too... many, let us... help you...".

" ** _Help who_**?!" the reptilian momentarily paused his examination on the burn. " _No One_?! Have you gone mad, Sly? How can we take him to the hideout? We don't even _know_ him!".

"... I trust... him...".

"And look what you got in return!"

The raccoon raised his head to his partner, hat almost falling off, cold sweat wetting his fur on some spots and his shirt missing a chuck. "Bentley... _please_...".

Said turtle put on a torn expression as his glasses drifted from a childhood friend to the other, both anxious for his decision. His hardened gaze then landed on the questioned hero of the day whose 'eyes' were two white full moons still amazed with the proposal the suffering young man had made. _There's **no** alternative, Sly needs urgent treatment and the cops are coming back... it'll have to do..._

" _Fine_! He can come with us." he sighed in defeat as he adjusted his glasses. "No One, close the doors and, Murray, _step on it_ , let's get out of here!" the brainiac gave the orders firmly before the addressed people executed them without hesitation.

Banging of metallic doors, screeching of tires and blasting of nearing police sirens all played at the same time in an unusual symphony.

But none of them sounded louder than the far away screaming fox.


	3. Episode 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sly gets a bath and the mysterious thief spills the beans. At least most of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merci = Thanks
> 
> Merci beaucoup = Thanks a lot
> 
> Pas de problème = No problem
> 
> Mon ami = My friend
> 
> Mon frère = My brother

_You're my mission_

_**BAM!** _

"A second-degree burn!" Bentley exasperatedly declared after bursting the hideout's door open. "Of all things, it had to be such a nasty burn!" he continued his rant as Murray and No One brought Sly inside, the hippo holding the injured raccoon under his arms and the mysterious thief by his calves.

"...I'm... sorry..." the young man replied like a child being scolded by his parents.

"Save your energies, Sly. You're going to ne _ed them when I treat you._ " the turtle warned in a softer tone whilst he went through a door on the right wall with the mammal's hat and cane, voice turning somewhat muffled the moment he was on the other side.

"Where do you want him?" the hooded figured asked as he and the big herbivorous reached the middle of the living room.

The reptilian's head peeked out from the mentioned door's frame. "Take him to the bathroom, you two, and strip him completely while I prepare things here. I want you to give him a _cool_ bath, but not _**freezing**_ _cool,_ otherwise you'll cause tissue damage and that's the least we need right now." were his instructions before going back to his affairs.

Not willing to lose more time, the carriers easily got to the bathroom thanks to Murray who knew where it was (down the only hallway by the living room, if you're curious). There, Sly's tattered shirt, black mask, belt, red pouch, hidden watch, blue gloves and boots quickly covered the tiled floor and it didn't took long for the master thief to be inside the old and simple white tub.

" _Cooolllldddd..._!" the young man on his birthday suit hissed from both the cool water filling the tub and the pain on his side, hands turned into fists to prevent himself from crawling into a ball. If he had done that, he would have preserved some warmth but, at the same time, an (almost) endless wave of suffering would invade his nervous system. _And going through hell once is more than enough, thank you very much_...

"I-It's okay, Sly... You're going to be alright." the hippo tried his best to reassure his friend while he sat on the floor close to him, despite the worry filling the light marron eyes. "Bentley will... will fix you up real good... like he always does!".

A small tired smile, a poor sample of his usual confident one, appeared on the mammal's face as relief started to make its way on his spent body. Finally, the pain was slowly, but surely, fading and becoming something not so unbearable. " _Hey_... " he called in fake offense. "Do you have... so little faith in me? It's not... the first time I get myself... a burn...".

"But none of them were _this_ severe.".

Three heads rotated to the bathroom's entrance where Bentley stood with a pile of folded, clean and dried towels on his arms. On top of the pile rested a couple of yellow rubber gloves ready to be used. "I'm going to assume you're feeling better, already, since your breathing is getting back to normal." he deduced blankly whilst he approached the tub. "Not to mention that tenacious spirit of yours." he added with a betraying smile.

" _Hehehe_... You know me." the raccoon joked after a weak chuckle. Although the turtle was displaying a calm and professional demeanor, Sly was fully aware that behind that his strategist was troubled, if not stressed, because of him. The latter had improved _so_ much (they all had from two years back), once a shy little nervous ball and now a more level-headed technology expert. He couldn't be more proud. "Say, doc, how much longer... do I need to be here?".

"Just 20 more minutes. However, before you do that, Murray and... " the reptilian paused to adjust his glasses and send an unimpressed look to the up-until-then-quiet young man. "... _No One_ are going to wash you with a special soap I have here between the towels to help disinfect your wound." he explained as he handed the pile to the untrustworthy thief. "Don't forget to use these gloves to prevent an infection. I'll be waiting in the room for him.".

Unaffected by Bentley's rather hostile tone, No One simply followed his small figure wordlessly existing the washroom with half-lidded 'eyes'. He couldn't really blame the green creature for his wary behavior towards him, even if he felt like he should, which he didn't. A _potentially **dangerous**_ stranger bringing you a _half-dead_ great friend of yours doesn't exactly look like the best way to say ' _I've come in peace so let's be besties_!'. _Oh well_... it's not like they were going to work together or something. All he wanted was to make sure the master thief was going to be alright and _then_ he would leave them be. _How troublesome..._

"Have the 20 minutes passed yet?" the pink hippo (rather impatiently) asked the momentary distracted robber. He was aware that this kind of thing had to be handled carefully, but the sooner Sly was in their pseudo doctor's hands the sooner he would get better. And that's what he only cared about: their safety.

Back to reality, the black-dressed acquaintance put the towels on the white sink by his right and picked the forgotten wristwatch on the ground to check the time. "I'm afraid I'll have to say 'no', big guy, there's still 10 minutes left." he replied in a surprised state, not expecting the sudden harshness from Murray.

No One should had seen it coming, though, since the herbivorous wasn't a person to take so lightly. According to the Underworld, the chubby fellow was once a weakling afraid of everything and everyone. However, somewhere along the way, he grew terrifyingly strong and, if infuriated, someone would always need to be sent to the hospital, criminal or no criminal.

And there they were, in a closed and small room with a hurt comrade in the bath tub.

The demon thief was doomed.

"Can I put the gloves on, now? I think we can start cleaning Sly." Murray inquired more calmly than before.

This time, on the other hand, the young man which he was talking to was paying attention and had promised himself to not let his guard down again. One can never be too prudent. "Sure. The 10 minutes are almost over, anyway." he indicated as he handed over a pair of plastic gloves for the pink fighter to use. While the latter switched handwear and the raccoon controled his body temperature with closed eyes, the mysterious figure hid his hands when he took his black gloves off and put on the yellow ones. "Done... Now, Cooper, get up so we can wash you.".

"You know that saying it out loud... doesn't make this less awkward, don't you?".

"Huh-Hum..." the faceless thief agreed without much of a thought. His attention was, actually, divided between the task of scrubbing Sly's fur with a clean sponge he had found and the other cleaner by his side caring the burn (who was then on his feet once more). So whatever were the injured's comments, their answers would be short and automatic. Like this one in particular...

"I mean..." the mammal paused to release a small grunt when his friend accidentally hurt him, to which he rapidly apologized. "... we've just met and here you are... _bathing_ me. You didn't even treat me to dinner..." he jested in an attempt to disguise his embarrassment. Murray helping him out wasn't that abnormal, since he had needed it multiple times when he had broken his arm once and the three of them had taken their baths together back in the orphanage.

But a person you hardly called a friend seeing you _buck **naked**_ , _wet_ from head to toe and half covered in soap _foam_ was a complete different story.

"I'll treat you when I can." No One said whilst his orbs narrowed in concentration, even if his sleeves were dripping with water.

Later, satisfied and finding nothing wrong with the wound, the carers rinsed the soap from the poor master thief with _yet_ more cool water before helping him out of the tub. Feet on top of his dirty clothes to avert them from freezing, the young man was dried with fluffy towels and covered with a big one over his shoulders. He successfully survived the first part of torture the treatment implied.

Now came part two.

"Ease there, I don't want any blisters to break." the turtle warned as the hippo and the black figure gently sit up Sly on the white-sheet covered bed. They were already in the room were he was to receive medical care. "That's it... good job, you two. I can perfectly see the burn now. That was a great help." he praised their handiwork, despite avoiding any eye contact with the shorter helper.

"I'll leave him to you, Bentley. _Please_... make sure he gets back to normal." Murray distressfully begged, twiddling his thumbs.

"You don't need to ask, big guy. You know I always do my best." the reptilian comforted whilst smiling and guiding his partner towards the door. "When it's over, I'll call right away, alright?" he added the promise to which the fighter nodded with a small grin of his own before heading to the living room. No One was close behind, but just when he took a step out of the 'medical room', Bentley tugged on one of his sleeves, his way of saying he wasn't done with him. "Excuse me, can I request something from you?".

Stupefied for being regarded so politely by the same person that sent him the 'evil eye' whenever he was present, the taller young man lamely accepted his request, orbs two full-moons.

"Could you, please, wait with Murray until the end of the treatment? By then, I'll be able to discuss your... _reward_ for saving my teammate with the whole Gang.".

Raising an index finger and opening his mouth, the demon thief was about to reject said reward, for he didn't wished one in the first place, however...

"Much appreciated."

**_BAM!_ **

... the door was slammed on his face.

_**Sheesh**...Cooper wasn't lying about his sense of timing..._

Turning around with a tail flickering in slight annoyance due to the rude rejection, the black-dressed mystery came upon another problem.

He was utterly _alone_ with a depressed hippopotamus.

To be honest, the van's driver wasn't doing anything that posed a threat ( _yet_ ). He was simply sitting on the living room's old brown couch meant for two people, which he occupied mostly, as he held his head with his hands and the elbows on his knees. Staring blankly at nothing or nobody in particular, the great herbivorous seemed purely dejected, not moving any time soon. And that, in itself, was dangerous.

No One deduced he was thinking about went wrong for the raccoon to reach this suffering state, since the former had faced the same scenario himself with someone he cared about. That's something for another opportunity, though. The issue was that, if his thoughts went down that road, he would come upon the solitary thief and, possibly, make the wrong conclusions. A protective person isn't a force to reckon with. What he required was a peace offering, a gesture that showed (like the mammal had somehow found out) he wasn't a bad guy and therefore couldn't had been the one at fault for Sly's burn.

Looking to the bathroom's open entrance, the faceless figure finally knew what he had to do.

"... Murray? You there?".

" _Heh_? _**What**_? Oh... it's you... No One. What is it?" he wondered after being startled by the sudden tap on his shoulder, which meant he was sitting straighter now with his yellow-gloved hands on his lap. To answer him, the master thief's watch and red pouch, along with his own racer-style red gloves, were carefully placed on it.

"I went back to change gloves..." the peacemaker stopped briefly to show he was wearing his black originals. "... and I figured you wanted these. They wouldn't do any good on the floor, right?" he finished with a friendly tone.

For a few seconds, Murray just stared at his lap, a shadow over his eyes and arms limp on his sides. Then he picked the items with the equal reverence they were given to him and put them on the couch by his left. Everything was still without a single sound before, suddenly, with a speed very few acknowledged he possessed, the hippo rose to his feet, turned on his heels and put his arms around the young man's figure.

 _OhLordyallmighty... **THIS IS IT**!_ The victim thought at the same time he felt his body being picked up to the point he no longer had his boots on the ground. _I'm going to be **CRUSHED**! I'm being **SUFFOCATED**! I'M BEING..._

**_SNIFF!_ **

_... hugged?_

There was no denying it, no matter how crazy it sounded, he **_was_** being hugged by the so-called furious beast. And on top of that, which was something No One hadn't noticed when he was trying to wiggle his arms free in despair, the 'beast' was _crying_ on his left shoulder, wetting his jacket with a mix of tears and snot in the process.

"Thank you, thank you _so_ much, _merci*,_ thank you for bringing Sly back to us, _**thank you**_ , _merci beaucoup*_..." the poor thing chanted deliriously between English and ( _perfect_ ) French in a whisper, his bulky body shaking all the time.

Lost in words, the trapped thief stood paralysed, 'eyes' widen in shock from the unpredictable twist. Then his gaze softened and, after some struggle, he freed his right arm and started to pet the desolated young man's head.

"There, there... Everything is going to be okay. _He_ is going to be okay... _p_ _as de problème_ _, mon ami. P _as de problème*__..." the black-dressed one replied in a (hopefully) soothing manner.

If that had helped, he didn't know, since for a long time Murray kept crying and sobbing his heart out for his friend... and his brother.

* * *

" _Aaaahhh_... painkillers. You're now, officially, my new best friends.".

"Is that so? Then, next time, you can ask your _new_ best friends to change the bandages for you.".

Sly immediately frowned at the bitter comment.

"I know I messed up, Bentley, and that it's my fault. Because of me, finding the parts wi-".

"No, no, it's... it's _not_ your fault... and it's not _just_ the parts, it's..." the upset and confused strategist sighed tiredly as he turned from the medicines and ointments to the mammal. "I'm sorry, Sly... I didn't mean to snap at you like that. You see...there's a lot in my head, presently, and... and everything is coming at us at the same time I... I can barely stop..." he explained while taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

Something was at miss and the master thief could tell. Just an hour ago, despite the pressure and the rush, his unlicensed physician was doing a splendid job at keeping an encouraging exterior for their worried and larger friend. However, at the moment, he was in his classic stressful and grumpy state, which led the ringtail to believe his injure was worse than what it looked.

"Is the burn that bad? Did a blister pop or anything of the sort?" he asked cautiously, trying to prepare himself for the worst.

"The burn is fine." the turtle informed whilst he put his glasses back on. "Lucky for us, so are the blisters. What truly concerns me is related to your treatment and... the _duration_ of your healing period." was the grim conclusion.

Silence invaded the place for a few seconds.

"... Send Murray in. We are going to have a Gang reunion." Sly requested with furrowed eyebrows, a no-nonsense tone in his voice.

Nodding in agreement, the reptilian walked towards the door and only opened it halfway, hand constantly present on its knob. Perfectly hearing the slow creaking sound, the hippo in question abruptly paused his conversion with the 'demon' thief and was on his feet in less than a heartbeat. The red puffy eyes and the humidity on his goggles didn't go unnoticed. "It's visiting hours, sir. Do you wish to check the patient now or later?".

An extremely fast and great pink mass passed by Bentley and entered the room.

"I'll take that as a 'now'." the (for once) joking technology expert answered himself. On the corner of his eye, tough, he saw the other occupant of the living room getting up too from the sofa and heading to the 'medical area', either to see Sly or talk about the reward. The team's brains wagered it was the second. "Hold on, you. This is for Cooper Gang members only. Please be patient, you'll get what you want.".

"Wait! I-".

**_BAM!_ **

The raccoon sighed.

"Do you really have to do that? You didn't even let him talk." he pointed out with half-lidded eyes after surviving a _hippo_ hug attack, clearly not happy about the way his (literal) saviour was being considered.

"Yeah! Noah is a good guy. He even let me hug him when I, huh... sweated through my eyes." the herbivorous sitting on a chair by the bed tried to dismiss their attention.

It had the opposite effect.

"Who's _Noah_?" Sly voiced the question that lingered between him and the turtle.

"The ninja that saved you, of course!".

"You mean... _No One_? Oh, and he says he's not a ninja, although I have my doubts myself.".

"Really? Then that must be why he looked at me like I had said a bad word or something."

Bentley was speechless during the entire exchange. " _What_?!". Which didn't last long. "You gave _**him**_ a nickname?! Don't you know that's the first step to grow _attached_ to someone? You just met him!" he tried to reason.

Murray's ears dropped underneath his red mask. "But I think 'No One' is a bit offending for anyone to be called and he said it was the police who named him like that. Besides, he deserves it for bringing Sly to us when he got hurt and we weren't there..." the bulky friend reminded them.

Adjusting his 50's spectacles frustratingly, the reptilian was about to give his argument when he suddenly remembered something. " _Nevermindthat_!" he finished the discussion while shaking his head and dragging an extra chair to a spot in front of the other two. "This isn't what we are here for. I need to tell you guys some, possibly, bad news." was the given continuation as he climbed and sat on the tall chair.

"First things, first, Bentley. What's the estimated healing period?" the bandaged young man asked.

"Well..." the mentioned fellow breathed through his nose. "... according to the few medicine books I own, it can take two to three weeks for you to move freely once again. Which is acceptable, since it took us almost a week to safely reach Cairo and I need some time to figure out the Clockwerk parts' whereabouts." he responded in a more calm manner.

Scratching his head in puzzlement, the hippo intervened. "I don't get it. Isn't that good news? Because it means there's still time to get the parts, right?".

"Not if we run out of antibiotics before Sly is fully cured." the unlicensed physician confessed. Being given no other questions, he proceeded. "As you already know, I always bring a significantly sized stash of medicines to every heist for the eventuality of an accident or the sort. The ointments are essential since small burns are not that rare. However, I never expected one of _this_..." the turtle indicated Sly's side."...degree, specially from Inspector Fox.".

"How many days can the antibiotics last?" the bedded raccoon wondered.

"Four days, and that's pushing it. You need the minimal amount to last the complete treatment, otherwise you may develop an infection and the burn may take more time to disappear.".

Staring at his bandages, the master thief turned his hands into fists once he realized what his technology expert had just implied. "How can we get the meds, then? Carmelita is aware I'm in this state and that I may need them. I bet she's checking every pharmacy in the country for a turtle or a hippo as we speak.".

"Totally! And Miss Fox must have warned the police of the surrounding countries we are here, too!" Murray frantically complied.

"Murray is right. We need to leave Cairo as physically possible. An old building in the city suburbs can be suspicious after some time." the reptilian stopped to cross his arms and put himself in a thinking posture, his companions following his lead. "If only there was a wild card... a contact or someone Carmelita knew too little about... not even his or her species.".

The grey creature's eyebrows shot up when an idea emerged from hearing Bentley's last words.

"Gentlemen..." he began with one of his _sly_ smirks. "...I believe I've found our _wild card_.".

* * *

_Things are **really** getting heated up in there..._

No One, or if you prefer, Noah had been pacing from side to side for the last 15 minutes (tail twitching in anticipation) after losing all sense of feeling in his bottom. A consequence of sitting on the couch for too long. At the loud noises coming from the closed room, when just seconds ago you could barely detect a whisper, he paused his task of making an indoor jogging track and looked at the cursing door. _  
_

Was the turtle yelling at the hippo for talking to him? They were just commenting the big guy's amazing driving skills and the origin of his own name (he was growing found of his new one, though), nothing else. Although, he wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Grumpy feared his partner might had accidentally given him confidential information, which he didn't. If that was the case, why didn't he scold him right when he got inside? _Nah_... that couldn't be. Whatever it was, it had to be something the strategist was very reluctant to discuss, otherwise such a composed person wouldn't make this kind of scandal.

His white orbs grew in size spontaneously.

_What if they are talking about me? Bentley was the one who proposed the compensation for helping Sly so I don't think that's their topic... I'm not enjoying this one bit._

Before his theories of conspiracy against him could develop any further, the shouts ceased and footsteps echoed as the door opened completely for him to enter. And this time, it was the friendly herbivorous waiting at the entrance, big smile and everything.

"Come on in, Noah. We want to speak with you.".

He sure was eager for a person that had just come from a Gang reunion.

Finding no need for a reply, the black-dressed thief simply walked inside and thanked Murray for having hold the door for him, which he quickly closed. Walls have ears too and those from the Underworld know that well. Anyway, once inside the faceless young man didn't have to look around for long, since he had already seen the bed by the left wall. What was on it was a being he hadn't observed previously.

It was a _babe_.

A _badass_ -looking _**babe**_.

_Calm down, Noah... It's a just a hot charming guy with no clothes whatsoever, half covered by a white sheet, wearing bandages and... short soft-looking hair... nice shoulders... and I bathed **all** that...Ohgosh,ohgosh, say something you pervert! I can't blame hormones anymore!_

"Feeling your old self?" he asked in a voice lacing with concern.

That save, though.

" _Yup_. Much better thanks to you guys. You truly saved me back there and for that I'm eternally grateful." Sly told him with a sincere smile, eyes filled with their usual light.

 _How can a mask make such a difference? He looks even better without it! This should be illegal!_ The mysterious figure thought whilst he took the seat the short genius offered, the latter sitting at end of the bed instead. No One felt like he was in an interrogation room. With a blush on his hidden face. "It's fine. I'm not the kind of person that leaves a wounded behind. Particularly someone that didn't give me reasons to consider them an enemy." he simply dismissed like one would if it was a small favor and not the rescue of a human life. But he meant what he said.

The diplomat cleared his throat.

"Very well. Now that you're updated in Sly's condition, the first point of our conversation shall be your rewa-".

"I reject it.".

Three sets of eyes widened in surprise.

"I-I beg your pardon...?".

"I said, I'm going to reject your _reward_. This is what I was trying to tell before and the only reason why I stayed. I have enough enemies as it is.".

"... Why? You can ask us anything you want: treasures, information, money... and yet... w-why?". Bentley sure wasn't expecting this. Then again, who would? The paranoia you gain in life can be your shield, however it can also become your prison.

Gathering himself in a straighter posture, Noah put his hands on his knees, slightly leaned his head forward, narrowed his white orbs and looked them in the eye. "Has any of you seen someone else's life leaving them? The shine in their eyes... the heat of their body... the feeling of their coat... all that and more vanishing with you only watching? With you feeling hopeless for not stopping it, not because you don't _want_ to but because you just... _can't_?".

"I have." Sly bravely declared while his friends stared at the floor sadly. They knew how difficult it was for him to talk about what was following. "About 12 years ago, the Fiendish Five invaded my home. So, for my own protection, my parents hid me in the closet and told me to stay there." he paused to take a deep breath. "The last time I saw them was when they were _killed_... in front of my young eyes.".

"... The Cooper Massacre.".

A heartbroken chuckle escaped the raccoon.

"Is that how they call it in the Underworld? I'm not really shocked they still talk about it. The Fiendish Five must had announced to everyone how they defeated the entire Cooper line that night." he continued as venom slowly invaded his words, rage beginning to creep into his veins.

"Then you must understand when I say that life is too valuable to be exchanged. No gold, no treasure, no art, no nothing can be compared to it.".

"You said it all, my friend... _Imean_ , acquaintance." the master thief quickly corrected with a small smile (which the other thief copied), the bitter memories going away for the most recent ones to emerge. "Bentley, I pass you the testimony.".

Adjusting his glasses (a nervous habit, the 'demon' concluded), the unlicensed physician mumbled a small 'thank you'. "First topic aside, we move to the second one which is hiring your _services_.".

 _Oh_ , the irony...

"... I'm listening." No One said, head leaning back into place and arms crossed over his chest.

"Sly's burn is no secret to you and neither is the fact that Inspector Fox is going use it to her advantage. At this very moment, she's must be scanning the profile of every single turtle and hippo using the city's, if not the country's, pharmacies. However, we are in great need of antibiotics for our friend's recovery, which can put at risk our plans.".

Foreseeing where the explanation was going, the black-dress thief voiced the task at hand. "You want to me to get them for you, isn't it? Since Miss Cop has yet to see my true 'face'?". The Gang nodded in confirmation. " _Hm_... What are the conditions?" he untrustingly inquired with a 'raised brow'. The proposal couldn't be so easy, it never was.

"We would have to take you to Alexandria with us, for it's too risky to buy the antibiotics here.".

"I'm okay with that.".

"You can bring your possessions as long as they aren't too many.".

"You wouldn't have to worry with that. I don't own much.".

"In return of this job you can make one request of any kind, as long as we can provide it.".

"This time, I would accept it. My wish is something you can manage, too.".

"And, _finally_ , you would have to tell us of your _**mission**_.".

The faceless figure's chair fell to the floor.

"... Now you're pushing it." the standing up Noah warned in a low and threatening tone, fists at his sides as his 'eyes' narrowed once more.

A slip of the tongue! That's all it took. Of course the guy was going to inform his teammates about every _little_ thing he went through in the _bloody_ museum. **_Damnit_**! And because of _his_ own mistake, he got himself in this stupidly delicate situation. _I don't care if they are the Cooper Gang, not even the Queen of England is going to put her hands in **my** CD. I'm sorry Sly. I'm sorry Murray. I'm (maybe not that) sorry Bentley. But if you want this, it will be HELL TO PAY!_

Waving his arms in a sign of peace, the hippo stood up too from his chair. Although he didn't knock it down like the other one did. " _Whoa, whoa._.. I don't want to hurt you, Noah. We won't take anything from you, I promise. It's just that we want to make sure you're not working for any bad guys." the pink fighter spook after his long period of silence.

Growling at the offensive notion, the thief refusing to cooperate turned to the mammal. "Seriously? _Again_? I thought I've made it clear that I'm not working for _nor_ with the Klaww Gang!".

"And I _do_ believe you." the grey creature firmly tried to convince him. "The thing is that's not the only evil Gang out there making a mess and sometimes even _good guys..._ " he opened his palms towards the upset young man. "... are forced to do whatever these Gangs order for some special reason. We don't want to help out the enemy.".

With his restless tail as the only evidence of movement, the mysterious thief pointed an accusing finger at them. "Listen now and listen carefully because this will be the only time I will tell you: I. Work. Alone. Do I need to say it in other languages for you to understand?".

"No... that won't be necessary." the turtle answered for his teammates. "But you must see from our perspective when I say that words alone are not enough anymore for us to trust. We need to know what you're up to and, if you have any _proof_ to support your story, that would make our predicament a simpler one.".

No One slowly lowered his hand and remained still for a few moments, tension continuing to make its presence among the four.

His gut had been right all along and he didn't listen to it. Sure, Noah recognized their worries, for he had felt the same when Sly had asked for his assistance in getting out of the museum. However, even if he recognized they possessed morality, what they were asking was too much. To not involve other people in his mission besides himself was something he had done his best to accomplish. _And yet here I am between the wall and the sword. If I don't tell them they won't leave me alone, mainly the reptilian. It still amazes me how such a small thing could hack the Pentagon and not be caught..._

" _ **Fine**_..." the black-dressed one sighed heavily whilst he picked the chair from the floor and sat on it. "I accept the job and all of your conditions." he proceeded with crossed arms and half-lidded orbs.

Three sighs of relief were freed at the same time as the big guy sat back on his chair.

" _But_... " the odd negotiator abruptly added. "... you will have to confess what's your business with the Klaww Gang first. And before you make a fuss out of this, _Bentley_..." he paused to stare at the appalled computer genius. "... think wisely. _You_ want me to reveal something I haven't told any other living soul. The only thing Cooper wanted from me was what I had taken from the museum and if I was a Klaww member. I think it's only fair for you to share your information too.".

Hippo, turtle and raccoon looked at each other with a bothered expression as one would if they could telepathically communicate. The childhood friends couldn't deny the truth in his words no matter how much they tried. It was the solo option on the table if they wanted the medicine.

The famous thief was the chosen storyteller.

"Alright..." he started with a deep breath. "... I will tell the entire affair. I truly hope you can handle nightmares...".

* * *

"So... it's just like I thought. You _are_ going after the Clockwerk parts. I must admit, though, I didn't expect... _that_ to be the reason behind it.".

"Do you see our problem, Noah? If we don't heal Sly in time, everyone in the planet will be in danger!".

"Although it may sound exaggerated, Murray doesn't lie. If someone is willing to live forever to destroy a centuries-old legacy, what would stop him from craving for more?" Bentley joined the pink fighter while he was grabbing his chin in meditation. "And what keeps baffling me about tonight's events is how easily the Klaww Gang got their hands on our target...".

"That was Sir Thaddeus Hawkins' doing.".

All eyes fell on the pseudo ally.

"The museum's head administrator?" the grey creature inquired with a raised brow. "Why would he do that?"

"Because Mr. _Birdy_ is associated with them. He put all his effort in gathering the parts in one place to make a trade. The pieces for a golden statue of Horus which some Gang member found in a tomb robber's lair." the black-dressed figure shook his head in annoyance. " _Jeez_ , that guy needs a psychologist for that obsession of his. And _fast_.".

"It makes perfect sense! Nobody would suspect it was his fault if he played the victim in this charade!" the technology expert concluded. "Worst of all, with such an important finding as an Egyptian God's statue made of **_gold_** , the number of visitants will explode, he will become a national hero and get rich!".

**_COUGH!_ **

**_COUGH!_ **

"You mean, _if_ the statue ever reaches him.".

Recognizing the deceiving thief's playful tone, Sly smirked. " _Nnnoooaaaah_... what did you do?".

"I _might_ have made a _tiny_ mistake in the paperwork when I worked at the museum as a janitor." he replied, index and thumb almost touching each other. "Now, instead of heading to Cairo, the statue is going to be offered to the British Museum under the limitation that **_all_ ** the profit from the visits shall go to charity~." contently boosted as his white orbs turned into inverted smiles.

Laughter quickly filled the 'medical area'. Groans of pain followed from laughing too hard.

"Don't try to hide it, Bentley. I saw that snicker already." No One pointed out after rapidly approaching the reptilian and lightly poking his cheek.

Startled by the sudden presence, the usually uptight young man gave away a little squeak which only led to more laughter from the other two. "Stop that! Go back to your seat! You still have to take care of your part of the deal!" he commanded with some embarrassment.

"Yes, _mom_."

Bentley grumply stared at his so-called teammates. "Ah. Ah. Ah. Very funny, isn't it? Keep laughing like that and you'll end up breaking a blister or blasting a lung.".

Some very nice 5 minutes would have to pass before both the hippo and the raccoon calmed down and the mirth was cleaned from their eyes. Once their full attention was brought back, Noah partially unfastened his black jacket and pulled out what appeared to be a small squared piece of paper from the inside. It remained in his gloved hand for a couple of seconds, sadness evident in his 'eyes', and only later did he give it to the waiting turtle.

It was a photo.

"A calico cat lady?".

"I don't think 'lady' is the proper word for her, Murray. She seems to be in her teen years.".

"I agree with Bentley on this one... 16? Maybe a little more? Who is she, anyway?".

"Lucinda da Silva. My _mission_.".

Astonished, the three stared at the mysterious person and then back at the photo.

The young woman was a calico cat, indeed, since a predominantly white coat that was patched with orange and black was present, particularly at the top of her head, pink snout and exposed arms. She didn't give away a specific breed, so it was to assume she was the average domestic cat. Her short fur revealed her chubby physic and her chocolate-brown feline eyes. Having wavy hair that matched her eyes and barely touched her jaw line, round ears were sticking out from it. The torso was the only visible part of the female cat, so they could only tell she was wearing a simple purple sweater with sleeves growing a little over the elbow. Lucinda was smiling, her white whiskers rising due to it.

A happy normal teenage girl.

"Lucinda da Silva, huh?" the mammal repeated the name as he respectfully picked the photo from his technician, being fully aware of the importance it posed to their strange fellow. "What exactly are you trying to do? Find her? Save her? Take her somewhere?".

"I'm trying to prove her innocence and bring down the _bastard_ that said otherwise.".

_**GASP!** _

"Lulu was found _guilty_?! But she looks like she wouldn't hurt a fly!" The Murray stated in disbelief.

"I'm afraid so, big guy... Cute nickname, by the way." the rescuer added with amusement, his voice not so melancholic like in the previous moments.

"Thanks. It's one of my many talents.".

Clearing his throat, the computer genius asked what the other two were pondering. "And, if I am allowed to ask, which was the crime she supposedly _committed_?".

"... Murder.".

...

 ** _Wow_**... the _drama_ is strong with this one.

"Around 6 years ago, an infamous murder case involving James McBuck's secretary, Miss Sarah Weasley, took place in Paris, Fra-".

" _Holdonasec_ , when you say James McBuck you mean that rich deer guy who owns the biggest transportation company in the American continent, right?". Noah nodded towards the recovering thief. "No way... the police thought Lucinda killed her? How did that happen?".

"They found Miss Sarah dead from blood loss on an alley of the city's suburbs. The poor girl was there too, covered in blood and crying by the body after having tried to stop the bleeding. The murder weapon was still implanted on the weasel woman's abdomen, many stab marks were visible.".

Spectacles growing in realization, the unlicensed physician snapped his fingers. "I remember, now! That's the 'Curiosity killed the cat' case! It's all coming back to me... Lucinda da Silva was a 17-years-old portuguese young woman that was condemned to 20 years of jail time once evidence proved she stabbed Sarah Weasley, who was visiting Paris with her employer, with a letter opener.".

" ** _20 years_**?! Why so many? I don't recall any of this and you're only older than me by a year!".

"Elementary, my dear Murray." the turtle started grimly, despite the hidden reference. "The murder had turned into a scandal of international proportions when the media found out about it. The victim was american, the culprit a lusitan and the crime occurred in french soil. It took some time before the authorities decided they would judge Lucinda in Portugal and, if found guilty, she would be sent to a juvenile facility in France until she turned 18. The remaining 19 years of sentence in a women's prison.".

Sly returned the photo to the mysterious figure. "You said she's innocent no matter what the court decided. So, who's the real murderer?".

After putting the only picture he owned of the teen back inside his jacket, the latter grabbed his pants' black fabric in anger.

"James McBuck _himself_.".

"... And how did you come to that conclusion? You seem to know an awful lot of details about this case..." Bentley inquired. He was finding this situation quite suspicious even if there were facts he recognized.

No One took a deep breath as the unholy thoughts left his mind. "It's all thanks to Private Detective Cornelia Grey... Yes, Sly, _that_ Cornelia Grey. I, by chance, crossed paths with the rabbit in Paris when I, clearly disguised, was trying to find something that could show people who was the culprit. Apparently, so was Miss Grey because she looking around the crime scene. It wasn't easy, but she eventually saw I was trustworthy after I explained my intentions. Detective Cornelia had been anonymously hired to investigate the murder.".

"Do you have any idea of who might had hired her?" was the grey creature's intervention.

A shrug was his reply.

"And what did Miss Cornelia find out in her investigation?" was the hippo's turn.

Tiredly, the faceless young man scratched his hidden neck. "A _bigger_ mess than I could ever imagine. For starters, Sarah Weasley wasn't the simple pretty-face secretary everyone believed she was. In reality, the petite weasel was an undercover agent from the CIA. The agency found the growth of James McBuck's company... _too_ abrupt, therefore Miss _I-don't-know-what-her-real-name-is_ had to find out if he was into some illegal business or not. Turns out he and his older brother and partner, William McBuck, have been in a long-term relationship with a spice shipping baron who is _also_ a member of a _certain_ evil organization.".

" ** _Klaww Gang_**." the three completed in unison.

" _Bull's eye_. However, the soap opera isn't over. Miss Grey discovered the CIA agent had gathered enough information about the deer brothers' secret crimes to send them _both_ to prison for life, if they survive death penalty. That was one of the reasons Weasley was killed.".

"That's a bit odd. If they could afford the secrecy, why did James McBuck dirty his own hands?" the reptilian wisely noted.

"Because that's the other reason. He was in love with Sarah. And when he found who she really was... well, you know the catch.".

"And the information...?" Sly curiously wondered.

"Jimmy-boy found it and gave it to his more responsible brother to destroy it for him... which he didn't. You see, Willy was tired of being always in second place in life due to his better-looking younger brother, so he divided the intelligence in 7 CDs that he then handed to 7 different Klaww people across the globe.".

"He's going to sacrifice one of his own blood." the technician realized with disgust. His family was all he had and yet there were monsters that only saw it as a pawn to satisfy their interests. It made him sick.

"Power can chance us, lead us to crave for more. Just like Clockwerk did.".

"Have you gotten any CD already?" inquired the great herbivorous.

Not giving a straight answer, Noah fished out his plastic case from the jacket and hold it for everyone to see. "This is the 4th one I have collected, greetings from Mr. Hawkins." he proudly declared before retrieving the case to its earlier spot.

"So it was _you_ who broke into his private office!" the raccoon playfully incriminated the black-dressed thief. "Were you the one that drove the guards away from their posts too?".

" _Maybe~_ ".

"Then you were also responsible for disabling the office's security, weren't you? I must admit, I'm impressed." the computer genius sincerely complimented.

" ** _Oh_**... you think I hacked it? _Pfft_! As if... I used a device I bought from this, not that cheap but worthy, guy named ' _Black Baron_ ' at ThiefNet. My technology know-how can only go so far." he confessed.

" _Fascinating_... An invention able to hack the security system of a specific location and yet be simple enough for the average client to use. Bold and ingenious! Perhaps I could exchange some ideas with him...".

_**HUMPH!** _

"There's still one thing I don't understand." Murray returned to their original topic. "Lucinda is a normal girl, so how did she end up in that alley? Why was she seen as the murderer just like that?".

"... According to the voice recordings the police made once _Lulu_ was interrogated by them, she was coming out of the grocery store, a favor she was doing to her older cousins, when the girl saw James and Sarah. She didn't recognize them and they were just walking side by side as a happy couple towards the alley. Since there weren't many people around at that time of the day, she figure they were going to use it to their... ' _advantage'_." the mysterious young man used his fingers to represent air quotes, double meaning obviously implied. "However, Silva heard metallic bumps coming from them once she passed by, like trash cans being kicked. Shortly after, the deer came out from the alley madly running away and almost bumped into the cat in the process. Once he was gone, Lucinda got worried and went to the alley to check on the woman... the poor thing said she got nightmares from what she found there..." he added sadly.

"And they didn't believe her?".

No one shock his head. "No, they didn't. Then again, even if they did, the authorities wouldn't care. The girl was guilty before she went to court, the McBucks made sure of that for she had seen James' face and was the only eye witness there. The lawyer they got her was extremely bad, members of the jury and judges were bribed, the evidence was forged by professionals to make it believable and anything that dared to give a little hint of her innocence was either hid or destroyed. But the worst crime they committed against her had still to come...".

Bentley gulped in anticipation. "W-what did they do?".

"... They threatened her family and friends in case they had wanted to help her out. And..., for that reason, Lucinda da Silva wasn't paid a single visit in her short stay in imprisonment.".

"Short stay...? Like..." the hippo gasped with a hopeful expression. "... like she _got out_? _**They let her go**_?!".

Happiness wasn't what swam in Noah's white orbs, though.

"Only in a cheap coffin... ".

The Cooper Gang turned pale.

"From what Miss Grey got her hands on, we came to know Silva had became... _weak_ a couple of months after she had been sent to the facility. That made it easy for a serious pneumonia to attack her, which is something that people from her family can develop since they have frail lungs. The... treatments didn't work and... she _passed away_ months after she turned 18... The body wasn't reclaimed nor... did anyone went to see her at the funeral.".

A bone-chilling sullenness lingered between the four as the faceless figure's words sank in their mournful hearts.

**_BAM!_ **

**_UGH!_ **

"Murray... _pal_... thanks... for... _hug_..." the black-wearing young man whispered as he felt the air leave his lungs due to the crushing (albeit _kind_ ) gesture. "... _but_... I... see... _**sTaRs**_...".

"C'mon, big guy! Let the poor _boy_ breathe." the master thief requested, despite the amused grin on his face.

" _Oops_ , sorry..." the mentioned fighter sheepishly apologized.

Once back on the floor, the victim wobbly sat on his chair at the same time he did his best to oxygenate his system. "I-It's fine... I'm feeling better... already...".

"My sincerest condolences for your loss, _Noah_." the technology expert paid his respect whilst he adjusted his glasses. "I hope you can gather what you need to end with those... _monsters_ ' rotten empire.".

"Thanks for your consideration, _Bentley_." the back-to-normal thief said with an invisible smile. "I'm planning doing just that _this_ very year. Detective Cornelia has already sent me the needed evidence to prove Lucinda wasn't the murderer but actually James McBuck. Unfortunately, it has been almost a year since the last time I saw her for, until those two are caught, Miss Grey has to keep it low after they discovered she was investigating. The only thing left to do is get my hands in the remaining CDs, which I know who they are with.".

"But aren't you forgetting something? How are you going to present all that to the court and reopen the case if you don't have the Detective to do that? Even if you disguised yourself, wouldn't that ruin your credibility?" Sly pointed out the important detail with a raised eyebrow.

" _Yeah_... I'm aware of that... It's just that I have little faith in the ' _law_ ' now, because they let Silva turn into those cursing deers' scapegoat. I haven't given up completely due to Detective Cornelia, she's one of the few examples that truly care about justice.".

"How about Miss Carmelita? She's always about that." the team's muscle suggested as he took his fallen chair.

The mysterious rescuer grumbled with doubt.

"I'm not sure... I have to see more of her in action to fully trust her morality. Although, I _do_ find her arresting record amazing, specially when I hear how difficult it is for women in that area to prove themselves. They just don't want to give them an opportunity." he sighed.

" _Ooohh_ , you don't have to try a lot. After what you did tonight, you're on her naughty list for eternity, no need whatsoever to check it twice." the mammal jested with a nostalgic smile, memory going back to the first time he met the lovely vixen.

**_COUGH!_ **

"Speaking of _tonight_..." the green master planner reminded. "... since I believe everything is officially settled in our deal...". The other three agreed through a simple 'yes'. "... I think it's better for you to get your belongings before morning comes. To make it faster, Murray can accompany you. However you can't use the van, so I hope your hiding spot is not far from here."

" ** _Oh, yeah_**!" the mentioned herbivorous and the shorter temporary partner shouted while _hi-fiving_ each other, not minding the walk awaiting them.

"During the day, we'll make preparations for the quick journey and then rest for a couple of hours. We are going to need it. By night time, we leave Cairo behind. You're dismissed."

" _ **Sir, yes, sir**_!".

**_BAM!_ **

_**SIGH.** _

"Have I made the right decision? I don't think the doors can survive this treatment for long...".

" _Hehehe_... Don't worry, Bentley. The big guy will be fine, even if Noah didn't tell us the whole story.".

Getting down from the bed to the old wooden floor, the turtle produced a pen and continued his list of needed supplies. "So, you have noticed too, Sly? How he didn't explain his connection to the girl?".

"Yes... Lucinda was just a teen. I saw it in the photo. Maybe she met him without knowing who he really was... Understandably, he seems to disguise himself a lot, so it doesn't sound that unlikely. At least, he's a good guy, I mean, who would have thought the feared _demon_ thief was trying to help a deceased little girl?".

Pausing to stare at the closed door, the reptilian took a deep breath as skepticism invaded his gut. Something was fishy about this...

"We shall see, _mon frère*_ , we shall see...".


	4. Episode 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sly turns into a blond and the Cooper Gang has a mini heart-attack. Both times No One's fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little side-note: the Gang + Noah's fake family is supposed to be American, I forgot to mention.
> 
> And just another little thing. There a hidden reference in this episode for a cartoon I loved to watch when it was broadcast on Nickelodeon. The reader that finds it first will get a brief summary of what I'm planning to happen in the next chapter.

_The Devil in disguise_

" ** _So_**... you and your family are heading to Alexandria to visit your sister... _Betty..._ and her partner... _Sam..._ who you haven't seen in years and happen to be the rightful owners of this van. Is that correct, _Mrs_...?".

The pink ' _female_ ' hippo giggled.

"Johns- _Imean_..." the large van driver interrupted their rather deep voice by clearing 'her' throat. " _Johnson. Mrs. Johnson. But, please, call me Sheryl! Everybody does~_." she finished while waving her left hand as if to prove her point, wedding band flashing in the traffic officer's flashlight and voice presenting a higher-pitched tone than before.

To make sure we don't reach the same level of confusion of the tired police, let's make a brief revision of the previous events (since with how things are going, this might became a necessary habit). After having put all of their belongings, including Noah's boxes and duffel bags, on the back of the van and gotten a couple of hours of well-deserved rest, the four wanted thieves were more than ready to hit the road. And they did so. What they had encountered at Cairo's entrance to the highway, though, was a _little_ surprise Inspector Fox had prepared for them during the day.

 _Traffic inspection_.

A ridiculous amount of officers asking every single vehicle that resembled enough the Cooper trio's machine to pull over, followed by a close inspection of its occupants, cargo and documents. No van in every national road or highway was allowed to cross the improvised gates without approval. It had to be recognized: the vixen had cleverly predicted their rushed escape and attempt at blending in with the civilians, all resulting from her great experience with her targets. But even her quick thinking could not resolve everything, specially a certain dubious detail that happened to not go over her mind.

The Egyptian agents didn't have **_her_** experience.

"Very well... _Mrs. Johnson_..." the male Egyptian vulture replied with a small grimace on his beak, the discomfort resulted from the odd occasion completely apparent despite his professionalism reminding otherwise. "I'm going to assume your answer is a yes..." he stated with a small sigh before patting the right breast pocket of his light grey short-sleeved shirt. Looking confused from not finding what he wanted, the vulture scratched his white-feathered head in annoyance while mumbling something inaudible to himself, his black beret with the golden Eagle of Saladin (an Egyptian national emblem, if you didn't know) tilting in a risky angle.

Yes, he had no pants.

"You look for this?" accompanied the out scratched black and white stripped wing holding a notepad and pen for the grumpy officer. It belonged to another agent that showed up by the latter's side, a young and slightly shorter hoopoe with a similar outfit, except for the lack of the black shoulder pads his older partner possessed. The smile on his long beak was a also a notable difference.

"Thank you, Officer Youssef... " the still unnamed vulture said with a raised eyebrow, probably wondering how the other bird joined him without being noticeable. " ... and it's ' _are you looking for this_ ' not... what you just said. Now hold this for me." he asked while handing the flashlight to the other bird and grabbing his notepad and pen. " _Okay_ , Officer Omar." was the simple and heavenly accented reply, a final confirmation for the assumption that the vulture was far more experienced with English, despite the presence of a lighter Egyptian accent. Once the mentioned agent found the wanted page, he clicked his pen and returned his attention to the tourist couple by clearing his throat.

"Now, I apologize for keeping you waiting and hope you don't mind my partner's rather... _crude_ English. He's still learning, after all.".

"My, not at all, my friend. This is your country! It's only natural that you prefer your native language over a foreign one you're... _obligated_ to acknowledge." advocated the hippo's husband on the van's front passenger seat, a short green turtle that spoke in their general direction, not quite making eye contact due to the shades he wore.

And his 'lack' of sight.

" _Oh, **Herb** ~. I love it when you get so... so... _**_intelligent_**!" the pink 'lady' swooned, glove-less hands on each of her cheeks and long ( _ **totally** fake_) eyelashes batting at the speed of sound. The turtle bashfully waved away the compliment, but not without a shy little 'thank you, dear' and a goofy grin that was forming on his face.

"Well..." Officer Omar began as both agents looked at the turtle in surprise, the former's usually half-lidded brown eyes then noticeably bigger and no bitter reaction appeared towards the couple's show of affection. Oh, and Officer Yossef's beret fell off because his orange-with-black-and-white-tips crest popped open. "...that's rather... _considerate_ of you, Mr. Johnson. However, you would be surprised at the amount of people that do not share the same opinion. Either from here or from other countries. " the older bird concluded with a sincere frown at the same time the other one vigorously nodded in agreement, his beret being shaken to remove any dirt it had caught from the ground.

The tourists projected matching apologetic expressions. " _We are sorry to hear that..._ " _'Sheryl' said. "But, **hmm**... anyways, is there something else we need to do before getting to Alexandria_?" 'she' brought everyone's attention back to the task at hand.

"Oh, right, _sorry_..." the vulture remembered whilst staring once more at his notes. "... but, yes, there's a couple of things we still need to do before we can allow you passage.". He rose his head to the couple. "Nothing different from what you did at the three previous stations, though. I have already been notified about you by my colleagues, so, please, regard this as a mere formality.".

"Okay, then. What's first on the list?" the blind male patiently inquired.

While lifting the ballpoint pen, the older bird opened his beak to answer the reptile only to get rudely interrupted. By his own partner nonetheless. " _You_ come out van, give _documents_ to Officer Omar and Officer Yossef..." he paused to place his free hand on his covered chest. "... scans you for ** _bad_ **_stuff_!". Tiredly, the vulture shock his head before breathing out throw his nostrils.

"It's... basically what he said. Plus the _missing_ manners." he stressed the word while giving a pointed look to the sheepish younger bird. "Although, if you have any doubts, don't hesitate to ask." was the quite-nicely added information before the only 'female' present nodded to show 'her' cooperation:" _Okie- **dokie**! Just wait a second, dear, I'm gonna help you get out_.".

Hearing the familiar metallic sound of the white vehicle's (yeah, the gang had painted it white and even if the paint wasn't permanent Murray had had to leave the room) opening door and crouching steps heading towards him, the 'blind' turtle sulked.

"You don't need to, Sheryl. I've got my cane with me.".

" _Of course I do, silly! You forgot it in the back!_ ".

"No, I didn't!".

" _ **Yes** , you did_!".

 _Oh, **he** wants to tell me something... _ The 'husband' then realized, for the mentioned cane was indeed by his feet, ready to use if the situation called it. "By, _barnacles_! You're right! Then, at least, let me get the documents for you." he said at the same time he opened the gloves-compartment and reached for their forged passports and licenses, his 'wife' being already by his right holding the door open. " _Are they looking this way_?" the blind turtle/Bentley whispered as quietly possible.

" _No, they're not. They're just talking to each other. But those guns on their belts are **really** making me nervous_... _and I bet they noticed my real voice too!_ " the bubbly female hippo/Murray whispered back in his normal yet distressed tone, head slightly lowered in a position that allowed him to show intimacy and glance at the arguing agents simultaneously. " _Don't worry, big guy. I don't think they paid it much of a thought. And we won't give them a reason to use violence... hopefully._ " the technology expert tried to reassure both of them before handing him the fake documents. " _Now, what did you want to tell me?_ ".

'Sheryl' paused to help 'Herb' get out of the van.

" _Is Sly doing okay? And what about Noah?_ ".

The 'blind' turtle gave a little frown to the later name. " _Last time I checked, Sly was stable and, therefore, fine. As for... **Noah** , I'm going to assume that's he's okay too_." he finished by closing the van's door and taking his companion's offered arm. The pink one sighed in relief. " _That's great to hear. It can be kinda stuffy back there, so I was worried._ " was his thoughtful reasoning, which earned him a sympathetic tap on his big arm and a smile from the reptile. Both a sign that they had to put the act back on.

"Thank you." Officer Omar said to the requested papers. "Now, if you please, get separately in front of my partner so that he can inspect you. I'll be back there in case you need something." he nodded towards the dark-blue police car parked behind the van, pen on his breast-pocket and the small pile of documents on his hands, before leaving the foreign 'couple' to their own task.

Alright, that's... _great_! That's _really_ **_good_**! Since, according to this, they may have actually pulled their plan through!

 _Buuuut_ , and don't take your humble narrator wrong, it still seems the truly important question about this situation is being avoided...

... **_What_** were Murray and Bentley _wearing_?

Well, since they were both out of the van, their complete outfits were in full display for those who were present or wished to see them. So, it's with no surprise that I _happen_ to have in my power a description of them for you.

The first one to go is our favourite hippopotamus: he was using a wig of blond curly hair secured by a red bandanna with a white-flowered pattern (there was a cute bow on top), a white short-sleeved blouse, beige mid-thigh shorts and a practical pair of brown flat sandals. Murray _had_ thought about putting on some make-up but with the hot weather and high chance of constant sweating he dropped the idea later on, settling for the mentioned fake eyelashes alone.

Fortunately the fake breasts had been rejected too, already expecting a physical inspection on them.

Moving on to the fairly-entitled technology expert, one would easily point out the tourist-typical red-with-white-flowers large Hawaiian shirt, matching marriage ring on his left hand and black sandals on his feet. There was a straw hat in their vehicle which went with the disguise too. _Aaaaand_...

... that's ** _it_**.

...

Someone has been slacking off...

"Arms up, please." Officer Yossef requested with a demonstration, his wings paralleled to the floor and by his sides while still holding the flashlight in his left and the scanning device on his right.

The latter was a simple grey-dyed gadget which's shape resembled those bar-code scanners used in supermarkets or small shops. Besides the lack of a wire, there was a red button on its back and a small screen on the top surface. Having been recently added to police and security forces on an international level, it's main function was to detect any anomalies the subject presented both on the outside and the inside. Non-harmful electromagnetic waves would be projected and the reaction their target produced would be translated. Rings, ear-wear, piercings or other accessories were automatically ignored, but anything else, like, for example, a communication device or a weapon, ignited a warning in the mentioned screen.

A _little_ troublesome for those with hearing aids and pacemakers, though.

"Thank you." the same agent said once the pink hippo informed 'her' impaired companion about the mentioned pose and assumed it herself. "Now, stay." he added at the same time he pressed the device's back button once, it's screen lighting up with a black background and an electronic beeping sound, stating it was being turned on. Not even 5 silent seconds had passed when the word ' _Engaged_ ' popped up in green letters. Taking a couple of steps towards the short reptile, who was by the hoopoe's left, the avian pointed the scanner's 'mouth' to the top of 'Herb''s head before pressing the button once more, this time keeping the pressure on it, and moving it in a slow downwards motion. When the invisible rays reached the subject's feet, the button was released and an empty bar appeared on the gadget's screen with the warning ' _Processing..._ ' on top.

 _I seriously **must** get my hands on one of those... _ Settled the pretending technology expert during the silent wait for the scanning results. Such a true feat of modern machinery could have various uses for their _erratic_ lifestyle and, most likely, the rest of the world. **_Oh_** , the endless possibilities! And all he had to do was figure out how the promising gadget worked... Sly was _sooo_ going to do him a favor once he was back to normal.

 _Should I have painted my nails?_ Murray wondered. It hadn't seemed a good idea before since it wasn't very practical nor he had had the time to properly do said task... But what if the cops noticed how _ugly_ they were? What if they found out who _he_ was? What if they **_caught_** Sly?!... _No, no_ , calm down... He had to _calm._ **D** **own**. They hadn't suspected him when his voice cracked, so they wouldn't comment on his terrible fingernails. Everything was going to be fine. Also... _Does this blouse make me look fat?_ His eyes trailed his big belly. _Yeah, it does... that's **awesome**._

 _"'_ _Scan complete'_ " broke the night's air with a rather feminine tone before a results' report was presented to the scanner's user. Their eyes quickly traced its contents and while finishing the final statements his head bobbed in approval. "Good, good. Very nice.". He lifted his stare to the reptile and gave him a 'thumbs up'. "You clean. You good.". Naive as he was (or, at least, _seemed_ to be) there was no comment on the turtle's small sigh of relief. "Now you, lady.".

Murray's scan proceeded similarly to Bentley's, with no set backs or alarming sounds, even after the completion signal. And the sound of a patrol car's door being closed. " _Alright_..." introduced the older bird while before he got to his partner's side. "The paperwork is all in order and matches the other's notes, so that's one less thing to worry about. How did it go with the scan?". Officer Yossef then presented the device's screen where a brief description of the two latest scans was loaded. "All clean!" he added with the usual enthusiasm. "Perfect. Now..." the vulture paused whilst returning the documents to Sheryl, who put them on the van's driver seat. "... you're almost good to go. The last requirement is a quick check at what you're transporting in the back of the vehicle. So, if you please..." Officer Omar insisted with an extended wing towards the van's back-doors.

With a hand on his 'wife's' arm for guidance, the couple went for the mentioned doors and opened them one at a time. The turtle then palmed his way towards a small inner switch by the left and flicked it. There, illuminated by the lamp on the ceiling, were some duffel bags, opened boxes filled with electronic pieces, boxes which's duct tape had been cut (definitely from the previous inspections) and a decently-sized closed crate occupying the majority of the available space, save for the two blue sleeping bags on the center. With people... _sleeping_ in them.

" _Do you need to scan my kids too, Mr. Officer? Want me to wake them_ _up?_ " the pink hippo asked the vulture by her right.

"Only the boy, Mrs. Johnson. I'm already aware of your daughter's health condition and that she can't be scanned." Officer Omar recalled the medical sheet he had read displaying the small device placed on of the 'young woman's' lungs to help her breathe properly.

Nodding in acknowledgement, Mrs. Johnson placed her 'husband's' hand on the edge of the van's floor before sitting by its side, making the vehicle creak and shift under the new heavy weight. Significantly closer to the sleeping shapes, she lightly patted the end of the blue bag on the right. " _Wake up, little TomTom! There's some nice policemen who need to make one last scan of your cute little face~._ " the 'mother' whispered just loud enough for her 'child' to hear. It was a little hard to tell if the 'kid' had registered the wake-up call, for when a minute or two passed, there was no steering, no shifting nor even the rise and fall of a breathing body. Then, after a couple more of gentle pats from the mother, the zip on the sleeping bags side was opened ever slowly and not even the metallic sound had completely vanished from the air when its occupant's upper body eerily rose from the van's floor.

Like a vampire from its coffin.

Or a zombie.

Without the moans and decaying smelly flesh part, fortunately.

A round black summer hat was covering the young man's face but a deliberated adjustment from an equally black-furred hand sat it on top of his head. This same movement revealed a black somewhat-see-through veil falling from the hat's brim and reaching the feline's sternum. Yes, 'TomTom' was a black cat and, though his eyes were covered with a pair of round shades, a pair of sharp yet round were peeking out from the head-wear's top and a round face with long whiskers was visible enough to be noticed. He also had a poncho-like black piece covering his torso, the rest being still covered by the sleeping bag, except for his hands, which the cops were half expecting to be covered by gloves. Finger-less ones, maybe.

" _Moooom_... Pleeeease, **_stop_** calling me ' _TomTom_ '. I'm not five anymore." Thomas (definitely not _TomTom_ ) stressed with was could easily be described as a whine despite the attempt of leveling his sleep-laced voice. So much for looking cool. At least the 'mother' apologized, even if it was with a giggle.

"Mr. Johnson, aren't you hot in that outfit? It may be nighttime but we are far from cold. You must be drenched in sweat." reasoned the vulture as his colleague beckoned the feline to leave the van for his scan. Only after getting out of his bag, tip-toeing around his 'sister's' blonde so to not step on it, jumping from the vehicle and standing to his full height (and thus revealing his black leather pants and boots) did Thomas bother to answer the agent. What a drama queen.

" _Sweat_? Mr. Officer, **_regular_** people sweat. Goths?" he paused for affect and a slight inclination towards the shorter bird's direction. "We _simmer_.".

Said officer lifted an unimpressed and feathery eyebrow. "If you say so, Mr. Johnson...". _Whatever it takes to finish this once and for all_ , he thought. It was too late (or rather too early) to handle weird tourists for his taste. "Now, please, stand in front of Officer Yossef and follow his instructions for your scan.". For his relief, the youth complied with a stiff nod and, quickly enough, the exam was made and the clear results were displayed to both agents.

"All done, Lydia Deetz. You can go sleep." the English impaired yet kind hoopoe dismissed the teen who answered with something akin to a compliment to the avian's movie tastes as he returned to his rest. Once inside, 'Sheryl' put her husband's hand on her arm and closed the van's doors as silently as possible so to not disturb her children's sleep.

" _Sleep tight. And don't let the bed bugs bite._ " she whispered to the door before following the agents towards the front of the vehicle.

With a satisfied hum, Officer Omar scribbled something in a small piece of paper and then gave it to the hippo. "This is your authorization form to enter the city. I'm going to inform the station on the border about your clear results and correct paperwork, but - just in case of a misunderstanding - you show it to them for passage. Again, we appreciate your collaboration in all the process." came his practiced and worn speech. He was sure that without his partner's endless energy he would have fallen of exhaustion any minute now. It was his punishment for deciding to take extra hours...

Though he could use the money for a better washing machine.

Who ever said being an adult was _easy_ had to be **_out_** of their mind.

" _Oh_! It was no problem, Mr. Officer. We are always happy to help, specially after being treated so nicely." the turtle said as his 'wife' nodded in agreement. "We're grateful for being so understanding about our Tom. To be honest, we don't understand much about all this... _goth_ stuff. But... it makes him happy, so we support him in anyway we can." he finished with an affectionate squeeze of the 'mother's' arm.

"Aaaaaaaawwww!" the younger agent cooed at the same time his partner tried to cover his smile by clearing his throat.

" _Nonsense_... People are just who they are and family, more than anyone, should accept and love them. No matter what...". The vulture then shook his head to ease from his own thoughts, hat clearly more firm than his partner's. "Well... I've taken enough of your time. Have a safe trip and enjoy your holidays." he sincerely wished the parents before they thanked him once more and climbed to their seats in the van. Metallic sounds vibrated for the last time into the silent night and less then a minute later the birds were watching the large machine (with it's rumbling engine) disappearing on the horizon.

Officer Omar was the one that broke the silence first.

"Nice couple, no? Kid look fun.".

Officer Yossef snorted.

"Yeah... I wish _my_ parents were half as understanding as those are. Though, I could do without the mom's squeaky voice." he finished by rubbing his temples while his companion simply shrugged.

"What can do? Love is **_blind_**.".

An exasperated groan escaped the older one as he went back to their patrol car.

"Remind me why I'm dating you, again?".

* * *

"He's been in there for two hours." Bentley pointed out after another anxious fix of his glasses. He was in his usual outfit sans the special gear. "Does he really need so much for a simple disguise?".

The Cooper Gang plus their temporary partner were, at this point, in one of their secret hideouts in Alexandria. They had passed the final border into the city with palpable satisfaction, since it had been done with no hustle. Once inside the old building near a hidden bay (which was were the boat they had used to get to Egypt in the first place was), everyone that was not bed-ridden contributed to the task of unloading the van. And only then did each thief leave for their own devices: Bentley set up his equipment and busied himself with finding the Clockwerk parts' whereabouts; Murray, for his great joy, washed away the temporary paint from the van and restored its original beauty; Noah, in the mean time, closed his stuff and his person in one of the available rooms in the building, preparing his new disguise to get the meds.

And Sly? Well...

He was dying from boredom on the beat-up couch while watching TV in a language he didn't even understand.

That's how bored he was.

"Actually, it's only been an hour and a half. As for the disguise I... honestly don't know? He sure didn't take this long when he dressed as the goth teenage cat. Give it some time, though." the raccoon suggested as he continued to fruitlessly surf the channels. He was wearing a baggy white t-shirt and a pair of blue shorts, hat, cane and mask on the table the turtle was using.

A playful smirk grew on the technology expert's face, knowing that his friend could see it despite never taking his eyes from laptop nor stopping his quick typing. "You must be _really_ desperate for a distraction if you've been counting. You're not afraid of the possibility of him planning his escape? If he hasn't already bailed us.".

"Hmm... _Nah_... " Sly paused on his search and slumped his head on the couch's arm in defeat. "I don't think so. Noah has just as much information on us as we have on him. You more than anyone know that with just a tip, you can find lots of things about someone. Things they would rather keep a secret from others.". He yawned and stretched as much as his wound would allow. "For what it's worth, I trust him enough to finish his end of the bargain. My instincts say so.".

A snort.

"Your so-called ' _instincts_ '..." he air-quoted. "... also told you it was a **_good_** idea to use the gondolas in that canal in Venice when you were running from Carmelita.".

"She never caught me, though.".

"You almost drowned.".

"I _didn't_ know there was a **_hole_** in that _particular_ gondola, okay?!" the injured mammal gesticulated wildly before the two companions began to laugh at both each other and the memories. And when the pink hippo (again his outfit was the usual, expect he was missing his mask, googles, gloves and scarf) opened the door to their room, that was the scene that sparked his curiosity and amusement.

"What's up, guys? What's so funny?".

After a couple of seconds to regain his composure, Sly took a deep breath and turned his head to Murray's direction. "Nothing, big guy, just a quick journey down memory lane." he said, earning another snort from the reptilian who had buried himself once more in his work. "How's the van? Everything okay with it?".

Said big guy beamed at the interest. "It's a lot better now that it doesn't have that awful paint! I even gave the van a quick wax as an apology, had to clean some dust and sand from the inside, though.". At the bed-ridden one's worried look he rushed to reassure him. "Nothing is damaged! I promise. So don't worry.".

The raccoon sighed. "Good, good. You almost got me for a sec. Which is no surprise since you really took your time down there.".

"I did?" Murray stopped to check the time with a quick peak at Bentley laptop. "Wow... it's been that long? I didn't even notice. After all there's no clock downstairs.". He looked around. "Where's Noah? He hasn't come out yet?".

"Negative. He must make sure his make-up is on point." the turtle lightly mocked with the usual fix of his slipping glasses.

Somebody give that guy a candy to sooth such _saltiness_.

"You're just grumpy 'cause you miss him." was Sly's comeback as the technology expert grumbled like the grump he could was. The pink hippo, however, just nodded before fetching a drawing book and some crayons from one of his boxes. They haven't talked about the Clockwerk parts so he assumed their search was still a work in progress and decided to have some fun, by sitting on the floor with his back to the beat-up couch. Its only occupant returned to his desperate quest for a source of entertainment by turned the TV again. Let's see...

... a cooking show? Nope.

... what seemed like a drama? Thanks, but, **_no_** thanks.

... politics? Not even dead.

... a movie of sorts? Can't understand the plot.

... Carm answering some snotty journalists about the theft at the museum? _Meh_.

... some kid falling towards a pyr- ** _Nostop!_**

Change gear.

Reverse.

Park it.

"Hey... look, Bentley! It's Carmelita! She's on TV!" Murray called out while Sly quickly turned up the volume so they wouldn't miss a thing. This was gonna be **_good_**.

"- _ever we can_." the serious-faced vixen finished her response to one of the mics from the local news. She was the only person present on the screen and, according to the little they could see from the background, she was making the interview from a police station.

" _Inspector Fox, our sources tell us that this might have been a job from the Cooper Gang. Can you confirm it_?" a female voice shifted her mic as bright flashes from the cameras continued their attack on Carmelita's form.

" _Although that was... **our**_... " the fox stressed with a passing look of resignation. "... _first assumption upon the scene of the crime, after checking the security footage from the day of the theft, Constable Neyla and I concluded that the original culprits are members from the Klaww Gang_.".

" _Do you believe the Coopers are still interested in the stolen pieces?_ ".

" _We have reasons to think so. Last question!_ " she declared with the little patience she had left, although she did a commendable job in not showing too much.

" _Miss Fox! Miss Fox!_ " shouted the male voice that was chosen for the remaining inquiry. " _There's rumors of the presence of a fourth thief among the Cooper Gang. Are we facing a new member? Do we have an identity on them_?".

The addressed interviewee took a deep breath and gave a quick glance towards her right before returning her gaze to the audience. She had expected this to happen. " _Yes, we can confirm there was another robber besides the Cooper Gang. There's no concrete proof they are working together, however, such a possibility can not be dismissed_.". The vixen gave herself a pause. " _This criminal had been identified, though, and their name is No One, a.k.a. the demon thief. Presumed to be male, No One has yet to be captured and is considered potentially **dangerous**. We will shortly publish a reconstruction drawing based on our witnesses' testimonies of his appearance so, should someone spot him, he can be notified to the authorities. Thank you for your time."_.

More flashes and questions flooded the air the second Inspector Fox turned to leave, despite the clear dismissal tone she had used. Shortly after, the live display was cut and the transmission was passed once more to the news anchor, thus returning it to their mother tongue (a translator had been present for the foreign mammal's English).

"Perfect! _Juuuuuuust_ **_perfect_**!" Bentley groaned. "Now they think... _Noah_ is part of the Gang! Seriously, guys, I still can't believe you gave him a nickname." he said while shaking his head.

Murray stopped his coloring to frown. "I thought you were warming up to him, Bentley. He really seems to be trying to honor Lulu's memory.".

Removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes, the technology expert turned his chair towards his friend's direction with a sigh. "I know, big guy. I _know_. And I **_want_** to believe No One just wants to do the right thing. But I can tell he's omitting information from us, which can be just as unimportant as it can be vital.". He put his glasses back on. "Not to mean offense or anything, since he has so far done more good than harm to us, but the sooner we finish this deal the better.". And just as Bentley continued the insisting pressing of buttons, the hippo dejectedly turned the page of his book.

"Okay... If you think so. Kind of wanted to get to know him better, though. What about you, Sly?" the pink one asked after he craned his neck for the raccoon, which was behind him. The latter had been silently looking at the ceiling while the TV remained turned off since Carmelita's interview. He seemed to be in deep thought, a hand scratching his chin as the other rested on his covered stomach, though he still acknowledged his friend's question.

"Same thing here, Murray. Who wouldn't want to know more about one of the biggest mysteries in recent years?". He hummed to himself. "It makes me think about the whole ' _No One being part of the Ga_ -'".

" ** _Stop._** " Bentley abruptly interrupted him with a pointed glare.

"Stop what?" Sly said with a not-so-innocent smile.

" _That_ **_thought_**. That _idea_. The _very_ **_concept_**. _Cease_. **_Desist_**.".

"Oh _c'mon_! I haven't even told you!".

"I can tell what it is. And it's both _idiotic_ and **_perilous_**.".

Carefully siting up a bit on the couch, the bed-ridden one crossed his arms in defiance. "Alright, _Thesaurus_ , tell us what's my idea then.".

With a light scowl ever-present on his face, the reptile eyed the still-closed door. Behind it, the room's sole occupant had been silent except for the occasional shuffle of feet and murmur. Deeming it safe with the persisting lack of suspicious sounds, he got off his chair, quickly ran to his companions' side and cupped the side of his mouth with one of his hands: " _You want No One to join the Gang_.". Murray gasped loudly, a contrast to Bentley's whisper, but stopped himself before facing Sly with his surprise.

The mammal just grinned smugly.

"Are you proud of yourself, now? 'Cause you just got it **_wrong_**.". Expecting gazes urged him to continue. That and Bentley's grumpy huff. At least he wasn't so tense. "I was actually thinking about proposing something along the lines of ... _partnership_.".

"A what?" peaked the big guy's curiosity.

"A temporary partnership. You know, the 'you scratch my back, I scratch yours' kind of deal.". At this part, the raccoon's voice gained a more serious tone. "Noah wants something from the Klaww Gang just as much as we do and - again, just like us - he could use any help he can get. Besides being really resourceful, he obviously has the skills for the job. And I bet my own tail that what I saw at the museum was only a small glimpse of what he has in store.".

"So... what you're suggesting is that, while we help Noah get the disks, he could help us get the parts in return?" interpreted correctly Murray, earning a playful boop on his big snoot from Sly.

"Right on the nose!" he congratulated the pink hippo, his mood back to his casual one. "Tell me then, guys, what's your verdict?".

The big guy practically vibrated on the spot in a show of contained excitement. Coloring book be damned. " _Ohohoh_! I like it! You've got my vote on it.".

"And you, _Wizard_? What do you say?" he gently asked the turtle. However, seeing the latter's troubled face he put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Hey... We're not doing this without you on board. We may live in a democracy but we are a team, a ** _family_** , before anything else.".

Bentley sighed and gave the grey mammal a wary smile. "I know, I know. That's always one of my biggest reliefs... But... I'm not sure. I'm still not convinced. I... I'll have to think about it.". This earned him a squeeze on his shoulder and his partner's understanding nods. "I'm aware you really want to fanboy over this guy, for reasons I still phantom." he finished with a smirk after Sly's embarrassed sputtering.

"I so **_not_** fanboy over him." the Mater Thief rushed in his own defense, taking back his arm and crossing both with an offended pout.

"Oh, that's _right_. You stopped being one when you found out he wasn't a real ninja.".

"... You're so _mean_.".

"I prefer the term _realistic_.".

Murray giggled at the scene and only when he calmed somewhat did he turn to shorter one. "Don't worry, Bentley. I understand why you don't trust Noah much, but I bet if we give him a chance we might actually be surprised... In a good way!".

The technology expert smiled softly at the possibility, for once simply enjoying the moment in peace...

**_BAM!_ **

" _AH! **BOOM, BABY!**_ ".

"EeeEE _EEEEEEEE **EEKKAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH**_!".

... Until it was _shattered_ , that is.

And the culprit for this insensitive act, the Cooper Gang's rather effeminate screams and instinct to protectively hug each other remained at the kicked door's side.

It was an opossum.

"There's a _civilian_ lady **_o_** ** _possum_** in the hideout!".

Thank the pink hippo for the specifics.

"No, guys! Relax-".

"Ma'am..." Sly interrupted her as the stressed out turtle swallowed nervously. "I'm going to ask you to calm _down_... " he raised his hands in a sign of peace, the short one shuffling behind the big guy to reach one of the boxes.

This last detail didn't go unnoticed, though.

" _Ah-ah-ah_. Don't you _**dare**_ sedate me, Bentley! I know I shouldn't have scared you three, but this is _ridiculous_!" the still mysterious marsupial exasperated with her arms.

The trio froze in their places, eyes wide as saucers and the accused reptile still far from his objective.

" _She knows our names_... " Murray widely whispered in disbelief.

They got a groan from the young woman. "Guys, it's _me_... " 'she' paused to press the mole on the left corner of her mouth. " ... _Noah_!" No One said in a voice that was unmistakably his own, only adding more surprise and shock to the others. "And, **_please_** , don't start with the whole ' _say something to prove you're really who you say you are_ ' thing because, honestly? That's too cliché, even for **_me_**.".

Bentley abruptly shut his mouth at the rebuttal.

"Oh my gosh... " the big hippo said with a hand on his mouth while the newly-reveled partner slowly approached the couch. No need for more hysterics. "B-but how? I-I thought you were a cat!".

Actually, they ** _all_** did.

Can't blame them, though.

Noah smiled at the fascination showed towards his work. "I never said I was one! That was another disguise, but I must admit that _this_... " he motioned to the new form. "... baby is much more complex. There was more time for details, after all. Now, enough with the _chit-chat_...". The thief gave himself a full spin before striking a pose, a hand on a hip and the other behind his head. "Do I look **_cute_** or _what_?".

As the technology expert returned to his place between his brothers, the Cooper Gang, then somewhat recovered from the experience, took their time to assess the new look: like the typical north-american opossum, the disguise's fur was mostly white, being the exceptions a blackish grey on the calves and forearms and pure black on the hands, feet (all fingers were pink, though, like the thin long tail) and leaf-shaped ears (which happened to have white spots on their tips); body-type wise, it was meant to resemble a fat young woman with thick thighs and arms, a pudgy belly and some natural curves; the outfit included a wine red irregular modal t-shirt, blue jean shorts (no, not _jorts_ ) and brown roman-style flat sandals.

Oh! And Noah had sky-blue eyes but they couldn't tell if they were his or if they were contacts.

"Yeah... you _do_ look cute but... is that **_real_ ** fur?" the raccoon cautiously asked in a mix of wonder and horror.

Which only prompted No One's grin to get bigger. "Of course not! Who do you take me for, _Sweeney Todd_?". He shook his head in amusement. "It's a special polymer meant to feel and move _like_ real fur. It can get wet but it has a special layer that prevents the inside to fill with water. It's pretty awesome and I like to use it in my disguises.". The young burglar suddenly extended an arm for the trio. "You guys can touch it if you want.".

It took a moment or two, although, they actually did it. One by one (surprisingly with Bentley as the first to go, most likely fueled by scientific curiosity) they all lightly pressed a hand on the fur before dragging it a little. They seemed to be starting to enjoy it. At least, according to their new expressions.

"This is so ** _cool_**! It feels so... so _life-like_!" Murray excitedly said once they all removed their hands.

"Well, I must second that thought. I've never seen this kind of material, though I did read a thing or two on it being in the works." the turtle methodically commented while inspecting the hand that had touched the fake fur. "As for your voice changing, I'm going to assume it's a sound modifier cleverly hidden in your fake mole.". He got a smirk for his correct assumption, validating it completely.

"Heh... If this doesn't mean you take your job seriously, I don't know what does.". Sly scratched his own cheek. "But, really, you didn't have to make such a dramatic entrance. The disguise is perfect.".

The addressed young man shrugged his shoulders sheepishly. "I was just getting in character: spontaneous, energetic, confident, flirty, a little spoiled, a bit of a diva... " he counted with his fingers. "But, most importantly, a _tourist._ Didn't mean to cause such pandemonium and for that I apologize.".

Bentley sighed. "I presume that you're ready, then?". Noah gave him a wink, which only made him groan tiredly. "I'll get the list and money. I hope you have a bag with you." he went away to fetch the things at the same time the young 'lady''s expression lit up since she remembered something.

" _Oh_! Yeah, I got a bag in the room with my shades." he chuckled before disappearing in the division once more, though he returned a moment later. "Almost forgot them." he mumbled while putting the mentioned shades on and fluffing the longer hair-like fur on his head. The bag was a small rectangular-shaped brown one which's strap was long enough that if carried on one's shoulder, it hang by their hip. Opening it for the reptile to put the money and list inside, it was shortly after closed securely and the strap was sat across the pretending opossum's chest.

"Bend over a little." he asked the taller thief before inserting a little communication device in one of the latter's ears. "This way, should anything happen, we will hear you and vice-versa. You have forty-five minutes, which should be enough since we're not far from the pharmacy and it's still early enough for there to be a minimal amount of clients.". He allowed No One's to straighten himself. "I will ask periodically your status to make sure the operation is still in action.".

" _Oooooooooh_! You do ** _care_**!" Noah cooed as he approached the pink hippo and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. The big guy giggled while a highly amused bed-ridden Sly received the same treatment. Bentley knew he was next and dreadfully tried to escape. But the young man was too quick and, before his victim could blink, he got a kiss on the nose and the attacker already opening the exit door.

" ** _Gah_**!" the technology expert bristled. "Just make sure you get the medicine!".

Noah laughed. "Don't worry, _mom_. I won't take long.". Then he pressed his mole once last time. "Love you, guys! Stacey **_out_**!".

And just like that, the door closed the scene with a solid bang.


	5. Episode 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmelita is gonna need a lot of caffeine to deal and new beginnings can start at predicted endings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to continue the 'hidden reference' game for all the chapters where I can manage to add them. This is an easier one so, just to remind you guys: the reader that finds it first will get a brief summary of what I'm planning to happen in the next chapter. Hint: it's from a really popular cartoon show which marked an entire generation. Good luck!

_One way or another_

When one decides to become an agent of the law for a living, more specifically part of the police force, there are a couple of ' _reality checks'_  that a rookie must quickly pick up if they want to survive their job. Both emotionally and physically. The most obvious one was that what was shown on TV was a  _very_  romanticized fragment of what happens in real life. Another (equally important) one was to expect the unpredictable, since just as your experience on the field grows so does your mental library of the most bizarre and grotesque cases ever known. Though not very frequent, one or two alone are capable of challenging the strongest of resolves. No wonder people quit every year.

Even Carmelita Montoya Fox,  ** _herself_** , had been tempted by the thought a couple of times, when she was still a little green and filled with unrealistic expectations. Not that she ever thought it was going to be easy. From a young age as a kit she knew nothing in the world could be achieved without a lot of hard work and dedication, her father having always been a good example.

At least, in the  _honest_  way.

The years and accomplishments had given her material to psych herself up whenever these down times flared their ugly head, fortunately having had very few since being promoted to her current rank as an inspector. Sometimes they involved the fact that she had yet to capture Cooper and his gang, a sore and complicated point in her conscious. Though nobody could deny that she had been the closest person to do it. Also the reason Carmelita was still in charge of the case two years later, whoever may be the new temporary partner she had reluctantly to take in.

Her hand tightened its grip on the police-issued cellphone.

 _Yes_ , very complex and mixed  ** _feelings_**  bubbled in the vixen's mind and heart whenever something involved the charming raccoon. Feelings she constantly shoved back and locked up for the sake of her duty. It's not like she  _didn't_  care.

Because she  _cared_.

(A lot.)

And she  _understood_.

(Also a great amount.)

She understood Sly's sense of responsibility to continue a centuries-long family legacy.

She understood that the little gang was more of a family than a simple group of thieves working together.

She understood the mammal's passion for his 'art'.

She understood he possessed a good moral compass, despite his career choice telling otherwise.

All these and many other reasons she had learned had solidified the inspector's resolve to help the Cooper Gang turn a new leaf. Help them channel all their amazing talents for a greater good. The  _right_  side of the law. Maybe then, when it was all said and done, she could build a better relationship with them. Maybe Sly and her could have something more just like they have been hinting at since they met for the first time. Although, then, she would do it without a sense of guilt and a heavy mind.

For  _he_  was still a  ** _criminal_**.

And  _she_  was still a  _ **cop**_.

And the fox's oath with Lady Justice always came first.

That being said (or in this case reflected on), Carmelita exited the borrowed police car and quickly locked its doors, pocketing the keys with the already mentioned phone. It had been almost forty-eight hours since the museum fiasco and she had yet to hear any news on the gang's whereabouts. Self-loathing was having a party in her chest thanks to what she had done that night, even if it had never been her intention. The nightmares and new bags under her eyes sure didn't help the mood.

As soon as the fox had found an opening she had sent her shock pistol back to their technicians in France to take a look at it. A quick scan inside had confirmed her suspicion that the gun had been  _altered_. By whom she still didn't know. But it sure had been someone that wanted the Master Thief out of the picture, since Carmelita would have felt little to no effect on her credibility had such a thing happened. After all, injuries (or even  _ **death**_ ) inflicted on a suspect while on a chase were more common than not.

The revelation had lifted some weight from her tired shoulders. However, the very  _possibility_  that she was being used as some felon's pawn to do their dirty job had quickly restored it. Her logic defended that this had been someone on the inside, someone that had been in close contact of her gun. An accomplishment by itself since she rarely took it off her person and it involved some internal and heavy wiring. Though, if so, the culprit could only be a co-worker or a person imposing as one which was problematic by itself. It's not like the Inspector can just put every single colleague knowledgeable enough about guns in the suspect list. Not only it would be endless (it was pretty much a job requirement at that point), it would be unfair given their history together.

Carmelita headed towards the small pharmacy with a heavy frown.

It wouldn't make sense anyway, since she had been after Cooper for years now and, if they really wanted him out of commission for good, there had been plenty of opportunities for something like this to happen sooner. That meant the saboteur was a recent addition, _someone_  that just started to work close to her,  _someone_  clever and smart,  _someone_   ** _like_**...

 _No..._ The fox paused just a step away from the glass door.  _It couldn't be **her**... could it?_  No, she had too much to lose, a promising career and future are not easy to come by even if she matched the suspect's profile. As far as she knew, the tiger had no motive to do such a thing. Not to mention the severity of an accusation such as this one would entitle.  _At least, if I did it without significant evidence._ Was the Inspector's finishing thought on the subject as she entered the shop and made a mental note for a later background digging.

As the monotonous door signal faded, the inspector gave a quick look at her surroundings for anything noticeable. Worn wooden cabinets filled with syrups and creams, scratched glass displays with a variety of cosmetics and food supplements, simple shelves in the back with stacked tablet boxes and a bored client texting on their phone while waiting by the cash register for the missing pharmacist. " _Well_ , Carm, looks like conspiracy theories are gonna have to wait..." the vixen sighed to herself before she adopted her patented professional stance. "...'cause it's time to catch a Cooper.". And it was with a restored determination that she crossed the shop and addressed the lonely client with shades on the top of their head.

By respectfully clearing her throat.

"Excuse me, miss, I'm-".

"Yeah, yeah, just gimme a sec. I gotta finish this text.".

Wasn't that a promising beginning for a lovely morning?

Still wearing a slightly stunned look from the rude interruption (the young opossum hadn't even taken her eyes  _off_  her phone, unbelievably), the french agent crossed her arms with a small huff and allowed the request. Clicking sounds continued to fill the air for a minute or so before the (presumed since there hadn't been a correction for the previous 'miss') young woman signed in satisfaction and returned the device to her handbag. "Okay, that's done.".

"Thank you." the fox approved after adjusting her posture. "Now, as I was saying, I'm-.".

" ** _Gorgeous_**.".

The stunned look made a triumphal comeback.

"...What?".

"Breathtaking?  _Marvelous_? ** _Awe-inducing_**? 'Cause I could stay here  _all_  day coming up with ways to describe you and still feel like they weren't enough." the opossum purred while leaning on the counter and using one of her hands to hold her chin, hairless tail moving being its owner.

Carmelita narrowed her eyes.

Did she just...? Oh.  _Oh_ ,  _ **yes**_.

That was a  _wink_ , right there. And an  _eyebrow wiggle_.

She was  ** _flirting_**  with her, no room for misinterpretations whatsoever.

 _Today is going to be a **loooong**  day... _Inspector Fox exasperated internally while the civilian rambled on and on about feeling bad for leaving her waiting. This inspection was going to prove fruitless and a waste of time if she allowed it. And, of course, she  _wasn't_  going to. Though, the usually blunt 'not interested' certainly wouldn't do since she still needed to interrogate the talking mammal. Sometimes the vixen hated her own impatience when it came to awkward social interactions. " _ **Listen** , _miss, I'm... _flattered_  by your advances but I'm going to have to turn you down.".

The flirt closed her mouth so quickly her sharp canines clicked. " _Well_... okay.".

"...Okay?" was the tentative repetition.

"Yeah, yeah." the opossum calmly reassured while lifting herself from the counter and putting her hands on her hips. "You're not, like, interested. Nothing wrong with that.".

A relieved chuckle left the agent. "You'll have to forgive my skepticism but I'm used to more...  ** _indignant_**  reactions when this happens.".

"People that can't take a no?".

"More like they can't understand the meaning of ' _I'm on duty, at the_ _moment_ ' or ' _my personal and romantic lives are too complicated as it is and I don't need to add more drama to them_.".

The client sucked a breath through her teeth. "That's rough, buddy. I wish I could, like, help but,  _obviously_ , I can't. So you're gonna have to do with a ' _good luck_ ' from me." she finished by shrugging sheepishly.

" _ **Actually**_..." Carmelita corrected as she pulled out a small notebook and a pen from one of her jacket's pockets. "... you could. But let me introduce myself first since I have this hunch that  _now_  I'll be able to." was added with a raised eyebrow and pointed look. The target innocently picked on her claws as a response. "I'm Inspector Carmelita Fox from Interpol..." she emphasized by pointing at the obvious badge hanging from her choker. "...and my team, the local police and I are going through the city's pharmacies in hopes of finding the whereabouts of the Cooper Gang. As you may have already seen from the news, they - alongside another wanted thief called No One - were indirectly involved in the museum robbery which happened two days ago.".

"Whoa, whoa... a _museum robbery_? Like one of those from the movies? What with the lasers and hanging from a rope and stuff?" the opossum excitedly suggested with extra hand gestures. " _Ohmygosh_ , that is _so **awesome**_!".

The dead-pan face she received didn't share the same enthusiasm, unfortunately.

" _Imean_ , not for  ** _you_**  obviously 'cause you gotta catch these guys and recover... whatever it was that they took and  _all that troublesome stuff_... Have I told you my name yet? It's Stacey, by the way, so you can drop the 'miss'." was her attempt at a recovery while blinking her blue eyes a couple of time.

It worked.

_Kinda._

"Very well, then..." the resigned vixen continued with a click of her pen. "Back to our topic, I would like to ask you and the pharmacist a couple of questions regarding these criminals, with your consent of course.".

"Sure but..." the curious client paused to throw a piece of gum to their awaiting mouth. "Why the pharmacy? Like, are they after the cough syrup bottles now?" was playfully suggested before she loudly popped her gum.

Frowning a little at the intrusive sound, the inspector was about to answer back when she was, once again, impolitely interrupted.

"Here you go, Miss Stacey, your prescription ready to go.".

And this time by the very pharmacist...

... who  _may_  have to fetch a couple of magnesium supplements for Carmelita's twitching eye in the near future.

"Thanks, Mr. Emara! You're, literally,  _the_   ** _best_**! By the way, look who's here to pay you a visit." the young woman pointed out with another pop of her gum as she peeked at the plastic bag filled with her meds.

The egyptian cobra's attention then turned to the mentioned vixen and his open hood shifted in recognition. "Ah, Inspector Fox, right? My name is Tarek Emara, we spoke on the phone not long ago. You'll have to forgive me for the waiting but, as you can see, I had to take my time in the back to serve Miss Stacey here." he pleasantly explained (a perfect display of his fluent English) before pointing to the small door behind him with the tip of his long scaly tail.

"To be honest, I didn't have to wait much, Mr. Em- _ **Oh**_..." the agent stopped once she noticed  _why_  her extended right hand wasn't receiving the expected handshake. There was no right arm. "I'm  _terribly_  sorry, I didn't notice... I  ** _swear_  **I wasn't trying to mock you." she quickly apologized with clear mortification. Today was, clearly, not her day.

But, to her relief, the reptile only laughed in good humor, thin forked tongue and poison-filled fangs on display. "That's alright, Inspector, I know you meant no harm. It's  _quite_  the surprise, though, since my missing arm is usually the first thing newcomers notice about me." he explained while fixing the pinned empty sleeve of his lab coat, covering somewhat the breast-pocket with the stitched pharmacy logo and the pinned name tag in the process. "My lack of limbs aside, can I give you a  _hand_  with something for your investigation?".

Still smiling at the fact that she hadn't  _accidentally_  offended someone (again), Carmelita put a couple of photos on the counter along with the copy of a drawing. "These three here are the members of the Cooper Gang, the one involved in the museum robbery. And this drawing is the closest visual depiction we have of No One, who, despite not being a member of the Cooper Gang, was also present that night..." the vixen trailed off in order to tap the opossum's shoulder with her pen. The distracted mammal popped her gum as she begrudgingly put away her phone and looked at the pics. "Have you seen anyone with similar features in the last two days?".

"Hmm... I can say, right away, that I've seen neither the raccoon nor the pink hippo. Most people of fur prefer the city center because of the heat, not to mention how rare pink hippos are...  _as for the... turtle_..." the cobra poked his own snout with his tongue. "... no. I'm sorry, but no. For a second, I thought I recognized him but I was wrong. And I,  _clearly_ , haven't spotted a covered fellow like this one... rather suspicious-looking.".

Grimacing at the answer, the agent thanked the kind pharmacist before taking some notes on her little notebook. "Miss Stacey, do you have anything to declare?".

The addressed young woman chewed thoughtfully for a couple of seconds.

" _Nah_... not really. Like, these three are too cute to forget. Even if the turtle looks like an angry sock puppet in this photo..." she paused with a hiss before rubbing the inside of her ear. Both the fox and the cobra turned to her with raised eyebrows.

"Is everything okay?" the later asked in worry.

"Yeah, yeah... It's just that _really_  uncomfortable feeling you get when water is still coming out of your ears after a swim.".

"You were swimming so early in the morning?" the inspector persisted with obvious suspicion.

" _Two words_ :  _ **younger siblings**_." the mammal emphasized with a sudden mix of exhaust and resignation.

"Can't relate.".

"Figures you would be an only child." Stacey accused with an eye roll at the smirking vixen and chuckling reptile. "This guy here, though..." she pointed at the drawing. "... must have it worse.  _Seriously_ , who can stand this kind of heat with all that  ** _black_**?".

A shrug was the only reaction from the agent who was, for the second time, writing down the negative results her inspection had had so far. There was still one thing she had to check out before moving on to the next target of the day. "Now, I must thank you again for your time and cooperation, even if it hasn't been very...  _positive_ , on my end. I only have one more question, Mr. Emara, and then I'll be out of your hair.".

"Oh, nonsense. Besides, I don't have any  _hair_!" the pharmacist playfully pointed out, earning a smile and a laugh. "So, what do you need to know?".

"Sly Cooper, the raccoon in the photo, was significantly injured during his escape from the scene.".

"What do you mean by ' _significantly_ '?".

"Enough that he may need a daily dose of antibiotics for a couple of weeks, not to mention other meds necessary to treat a potentially second to third-degree burn.".

The other two shared equal looks of horror.

"Jeez, that's gonna take a  ** _lot_  **of cough syrup." the young woman whispered while the egyptian cobra pulled a clipboard from under the counter.

"Let's see, according to my stock registry,  _in the last two days_... yes, I have sold plenty of antibiotics, but  ** _such_**  a great amount in one go..." he processed while looking through the pinned pages with the tip of his tail. " ** _Oh_**! That would be one of my first sales of the day, to  _Miss Stacey_  no less. What a...  _coincidence_..." the reptile murmured the last word as the implications suddenly dawned on him and his eyes followed the newly tense scene before him, his hood shifting in apprehension.

Wide blue eyes faced focused brown ones and for a moment it looked like time had paused. As if a tiny spark was enough to set off the proverbial gunpowder filling the air. One waiting for the next move of the other.

That is, until Stacey let out a  _really **loud**_  and  _ **exasperate**_  groan.

" _PLEASE_! OH.  _MY_.  ** _GOD_**!" was her screech-like plea while she covered her face. "Are you  _really_  thinking  ** _I'm_**  helping  _these_  guys out? Like, for  ** _real_**? Ugh,  _Mom is so gonna kill me..._ " she fearfully realized with one of her hands on her white-furred forehead.

Terrible scenarios passed through the opossum's mind at the same time the other two allowed their stances to slowly relax. Despite Mr. Emara easily letting go the silly idea that had just been implied, the inspector wasn't dissuaded. If anything, it fed this nagging gut feeling she had had for a while since entering the small pharmacy...

The plastic bag with the establishment's logo popped on her peripheral vision.

"Mr. Emara, can I see Miss Stacey's prescription papers?" she coolly asked, eyes back to the young woman still having a disproportionate meltdown. Maybe Carmelita couldn't blame her given the circumstances. "I'll need them to confirm her verdict on why she needs all that medicine on such short notice.".

Dejected leaf-like ears rose on the top of the mammal's head. "So... you're not just, like, gonna  _arrest_  me?  ** _Ah_** , you got me there for a sec..." she laughed weakly at the end.

"Even if I wanted to,  _anyone is innocent until proven the opposite_. So, no." the vixen automatically repeated the lesson she had been taught since joining the force. One which happened to be close to her heart and had sworn to defend throughout the rest of her life.

"I wish it was  ** _that_**  simple..." Stacey pointed out with a grimace before she noticed the pharmacist handing the requested papers. "And I guess that's my cue, huh?". The agent waved her pen in her direction as a signal to proceed, the odd comment apparently forgotten or ignored. " _Ohboy_ , this is a long story but here's the gist of it: Alex, my  ** _idiotic_**  of a  _younger sibling_  decided that the best way to  _impress_  their crush would be through very,  _very,_   ** _very_  **risky tricks with their bike, as in  _motorcycle_. And -  _surprise, surprise_  - the only thing they, like, got out of it was a severe case of  _road burn._ ". The cobra shivered in sympathy. "Yeah, it was  _that_  bad. They even had to be bed ridden for several  _days_! And to make things worse, the family vacation our parents had been planning for, like, literal  ** _years_** , was just around the corner. So what did we have to do? We asked our doctor his permission for them to travel safely, which he gave,  _obviously._  But now we have to carry around this, like,  ** _huge_** amount of pills and creams to last the  _whole_  holiday. You can tell from here what  _really **important**_  thing Alex forgot to pack on our way here..." she finished the spiel with a sarcastic smile and a small lack of air.

Someone,  _please_ , give the poor girl a glass of water...

But the only thing she got was the reptilian's tongue shooting off in surprise. " _Mymy_ , that sure sounded very tiring.".

"And rather  _detailed_..." Inspector Fox murmured as she squinted at the prescription papers' signature. "Do you know the doctor that signed this off?" she asked Mr. Emara who only took a second or two before recognition filled his face. "Why,  _yes_ , I know her. A very polite and promising young woman, that she is, and she works at a hospital relatively close from here. Which is great since that means a lot of her patients, both tourists and locals, prefer to pick their medicine at my humble establishment." he mused out-loud.

"And do you happen to notice  _something_  wrong with the signature?".

"I'm sorry, Inspector Fox, but I'll have to say no. You see, this doctor has one of most eligible handwriting I've ever seen in my  ** _entire_**  career as a pharmacist. I find it very difficult to be mistaken for someone else's.".

 _ **Well** , isn't that convenient..._ The fox pondered bitterly at ( _yet_ ) another premature end of a lead. And this time, towards a potential Cooper Gang ally, one of the many spread across the world. _It just feels so **close** to my grasp, this time..._ But, then again, she couldn't simply send photos of an original and the girl's signature for her team to tell if they are from the same person or not (it can take  _hours_ ). Nor could she call the young doctor to confirm the prescription, since it also took a great deal of time. Yes, time is what Carmelita needed and didn't have. Well...

...  _ **that**_  and sufficient reasons to keep the suspicious opossum under her eye.

Her story was solid enough, the papers really supportive and the circumstances properly plausible. It was not that uncommon for tourists to buy large amounts of meds during their holidays. Having the vixen herself gone through the  ** _amazing_**  experience of gastrointestinal intolerance when trying a new foreign dish...

Stacey stopped chewing her gum and spat it on a piece of paper, wrapping it around the used gum until its shape resembled a tiny ball. She threw it towards the trash can located one meter away from her. It flew over it. So, she took the couple of steps needed to pick it up, shrugged and threw it again. Another miss. Which gained a not so subtle giggle from the observing cobra, who also saw the young woman grumpily dropping the piece of trash directly above the can.

A near perfect allegory to the inspector's inner turmoil.

Sighing deeply through her nose, the vixen came to a decision. One she  _deeply_  hoped she wouldn't regret in the near future. "Very well... Mr. Emara, you may pass the receipt to Miss Stacey, now.". That sure brought the mentioned civilian's attention from her phone ( _seriously_ , some people just couldn't leave their devices alone for a second). For someone who had been nearly accused of being involved with one of the most wanted criminal gangs in the world, the way the young woman's mood switched between ' _pulling her own hair_ ' worried and ' _i feel nothing inside_ ' apathetic was nothing short of peculiar...

Okay,  _ **maybe**_  her colleagues were a  _little_  right on her being a  _little_  paranoid.

Not that she would ever admit it to their faces.

But still, her habit of over-analyzing stuff could be equal parts useful and over-reaching. Like in this case.

"I'm _so_   ** _relieved_**  right now." the opossum admitted with a huge mole-shifting grin while she paid the requested amount. "Like, I was already preparing a  _whole_  speech - in my mind - to explain to my parents why I was being  _mistakenly_   ** _arrested_**  for helping  _thieves_  on the run, and everything. I mean, don't get me wrong. I like to get ' _out of the box_ ´..." she made air quotes with her fingers. "... sometimes to have fun, but  ** _this_**? Hell,  _no_!".

"Well..." the reptilian started before he handed the receipt and change, pushing the plastic bag slightly towards his client with his tail as a sign for her to pick it up. "... consider this a lesson to share with your friends and family: never help thieves who stole from the Egyptian people. Though, some of them always seem to go  _unpunished_..." he bitterly implied with an angry display of his forked tongue.

"Will do. Alex is  _so_  gonna get an earful from me once I get back to the hotel.".

"And speaking of hotel, how many days do you have left in Alexandria?" the inspector intervened.

That earned a raised eyebrow from the opossum. "According to my parents' plan, three. Why?".

"As our work progresses, I might have to reach you again soon. So, I would really appreciate it if you gave us some kind of contact, preferably a phone number, to do that.".

"Oh, _oh_ ,  ** _oh_**. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought you were just trying to get my number, Inspector Fox." she playfully remarked with a cocked hip before grabbing the offered pen and writing down the digits on the little black notebook. The smiley face she also drew almost seemed to mock the tired agent.

"Good thing you do, then. Thanks for your time,  _again_. You're...  _free to go_." Carmelita allowed with badly contained reluctance as her best potential lead to the Cooper Gang in forty-eight hours headed contently for the door.

"Oh, no, thank  _ **you**_. I'm, like,  _really_  needing a massage, right now." she groaned after opening the pharmacy's door, its signal easily muffled by the leaving tourist's voice. "Bye, Mr. Emara! Bye, Inspector Fox, good luck in catching your guys!" was finished with a loud kiss (shades lowered to her eyes) and the echoed farewells from the mentioned animals.

"I've got to say, you two looked like life-long friends instead of people who have just met." the vixen quipped in a neutral tone after a silent beat.

" _Haha_ , you're not the first person to comment on that. I'm just a sucker for friendly and amusing clients, especially tourists. They come up with the  _craziest_  stories, sometimes..." the reptile paused once he saw what was still on his counter. "Do you want these back, Inspector?" he motioned towards the pictures.

"Keep them." the fox easily replied as she finished her notes, notebook and pen returning to their original pocket once done. "Or rather, if you can, pin them with the other establishment warnings. You already have my number in case someone needs it.".

The pharmacist nodded with a shift of his hood. "I see you're leaving. Any last request I can help you with, as a personal thanks for your hard work?".

Carmelita turned to the kind cobra with a pensive expression on her face.

"I don't suppose you sell any kind of energy drinks here, do you?".

"Unfortunately, no. But the drug store down the street does!".

" _ **Perfect**_. I'll need twenty.".

* * *

"Are you, absolutely,  _positively_ ,  ** _undoubtedly_** , sure you were not followed?".

" ** _Yes_** , Bentley. I kept checking over my shoulder and everything. No cars nor stalkers.".

"And she didn't put any tracking device on you?".

"Sly, she didn't even  _touch_  me...".

"...".

"... Okay, I admit I  ** _have_  **checked myself, just to make sure.  _And,_  I can tell you, I'm absolutely,  _positively_ and  ** _undoubtedly_** certain there are  _no_  bugs on me".

The hippo, the turtle and the raccoon exhaled deeply in tentative relief.

It had been less than half an hour since our ' _Miss Stacey_ ' had had her surprise confrontation with the undeterred Inspector Carmelita Fox. And claiming that the Cooper Gang had freaked out once the disguised thief was able to reestablish contact with them would be an understatement of epic proportions.

Suffice to say, Noah was in  _great_  need of a check-up with an otolaryngologist.

High-alert while trying to maintain a serene enough exterior, he had made his way back to the temporary hideout. And while his entry had been much calmer than the earlier exit, the same couldn't be said about his reception. Both Bentley and Murray had bombarded the young man with questions and requests (right at the doorway) to elaborate on what had happened. Sly had done the same from his ' _comfy imprisonment_ ' (his words, not mine).

"I still can't believe it... what were the  _chances_  of Miss Fox choosing the  ** _same_**  pharmacy we did to pick up Sly's meds?" the big guy wondered out-loud. He was sitting by the recovering mammal's couch just like he had been before 'Stacey' had left. Although, this time he had a small and well-used coffee table with an unfinished game of 'Go Fish' on top next to him. A simple attempt of entertainment between the two friends until the team's technology expert had declared radio-silence from their tentative ally.

"One in one thousand four hundred forty-eight, in Alexandria alone. If the internet is to be trusted, that is." he answered stopping his pacing on the center of the room, a hand on his chin, the other on his back and brows furrowed in thought.

" _Well_ , whatever the odds ..." Noah started from his seat by the dinning table where Bentley's equipment, the pharmacy bag and the disguise's props laid. The sound modifier was also turned off but the rest of the disguise remained unchanged. "I can tell she has been after you, guys, for a  _long_  time. I mean, she predicted that you would try to leave the country as quick and silent as possible and that you would ask someone outside the gang to get the medicine. If I hadn't come up with that story on the fly, I would be in an interrogation room this very moment!" he exasperated with his hands in a mix of incredulity and amazement.

"It was a good thing I took Murray's advice to use a local doctor's name." the turtle paused to give the mentioned friend a thumbs up and a proud smile, earning a bashfully hid smile for his trouble. "But what also  _really_  impressed me, was the fact that you managed to  _blatantly_   ** _flirt_**  with Inspector Carmelita Fox  _without_  getting zapped in the process." he finished with a playful smirk directed towards Sly, who glared back with a pout as his pink companion giggled.

The suggestion did not go unnoticed by the demon thief, but he chose to let it slide. For the time being. "To be honest, it was my ' _character'_  that tried to woe her not ' _me'_." he emphasized with his fingers forming air quotes. "And, curious enough, I don't think she  _had_  her pistol on her to stun me in the first place." he shrugged.

"Knowing how much she likes that gun, it could only mean it's either getting a fix or a routine inspection." the raccoon noted, his expression turning somber. "It practically confirms our suspicion that  _she_  had been sabotaged in order to seriously  _hurt_  me... or  ** _worse_**.".

A loud gulp from the hippo echoed in the suddenly silent room.

"Gentlemen, I think I speak for everyone in this room -  _yes_ ,  _you included_  -" the technology expert sighed after their tentative ally dramatically pointed to himself in question. "... when I say that we need to leave the country sooner than what we originally planned. Especially since  ** _now_**  we know there's someone out there taking the extra mile to take us out.".

"Oh, how soon exactly?" the big guy wondered.

" ** _Tonight_**!" he firmly declared while heading for his resting laptop.

His brothers' faces lit up in excitement. "You mean you've found the parts?  _Where_  are they?  _Who_  has them now?" the grey mammal insisted while trying to keep his body from moving too much.

"Whoa, take it easy. Don't pop any blisters,  ** _now_**." Bentley warned before bringing his laptop to the little coffee table, cards quickly put aside so the device could be in the proper position for every Cooper Gang member to see the screen. "And no. Unfortunately, we were correct in our assumptions and the parts have been spread out across the world, along with a different pawn of the Klaww Gang. That being said, I figured we should go after the operator closest to our home base. That's why I had to call on those favors I told you, Sly.".

"Sounds like a good plan to me!" Murray energetically agreed.

" _And_  it sounds like my cue to get changed." Noah continued as he stood up from his chair, stretching his arms before picking up his props (the change from the medicine dutifully still on the table). Though, he was only able to take a couple of steps because a certain green reptile asked him to stop. "Actually, it could be really... _advantageous_  for all of us if you assisted to my presentation." he explained with a careful yet neutral tone.

A sign of truce.

"You, after all, are familiar with the Klaww Gang just like us. So I figured -  _if you agreed to, of course_  - you could give us any additional information you may have regarding our target. In exchange, should you need any info for your mission, we can share it with you." was followed with a fix of his glasses, a softer expression somehow showing up for a couple of secs.

The young man looked at Bentley like he had suddenly declared the sky was green.

And like any other person in shock, babbled the first thought that came to his mind: "I thought you  ** _hated_**  my guts.".

" _Yeeeeeeah_ , I'm not gonna lie, it was  _close_  to that." he confessed with no remorse, making the raccoon gasp dramatically and the hippo shout a staged ' _rude!_ '. "Showing up to someone with one of your dearest friends  ** _half-dead_**  on your back kind of does that. But you also  _brought_  him to us when you  ** _could_  **have left him behind. And this very morning? You could have ratted us out to the authorities while we were at our  _lowest_ , but you  ** _didn't_**. So, even if I still have my doubts when it comes to you, you have earned your chance." he concluded with a small smile.

Can anyone, please, check the weather outside?

Because there's a high chance of spotting _flying pigs_  today.

"I-I... I honestly don't know what to say other than... thank you?" the confused thief admitted uncertainly. After all, weren't they going their separate ways once the gang was done with their part of the deal? Why had he said that as if they were going to keep working together in the near future? So many questions, yet the turtle had the gal to find his answer satisfactory enough and simply call him over.  _Making my mind run in loops seems to run in this odd family._ He thought in resignation.

"Hey." Sly greeted him once he walked behind the couch, planted his elbows on the top of its back and supported his head on his hands.

"'Sup.".

" _Howdy_." the pink guy joined.

Bentley coughed, successfully bringing back the attention to himself and his...

... PowerPoint presentation.

" _ **Wow**_... When you said 'presentation' I didn't think you meant it _literally_." the still-disguised young man pointed out.

"He usually prefers slideshows, but only when he has the time." Murray helpfully added.

The technology expert in question fingered his red bow-tie, feeling a little self-conscious. "There's nothing wrong with a little organization...".

"Of course  _not_ , Bentley. That's one of the  _many_  things that make you  ** _amazing_**. Now, go on, don't make your audience wait." the recovering mammal patiently encouraged with his hands.

Smiling at the kind reassurance, the technology expert pressed the key so the first slide was full-screened. It consisted of the title 'Operation: The Black Chateau'. In Arial Black. "Now, this is a presentation of what's most important to know for our next move, since there are some details that need to be polished but we can take care of those once we're back in Paris.".

The other three nodded.

And the next slide showed up.

"This is our first target: the Clockwerk tail feathers." he points to the photo of the metallic parts. "None of our sources could tell us what  _exactly_  they are being used for, but something tells me it's not good.".

"Top priority, then?" the Master Thief rhetorically asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Very important, yes, though their precise location should come first." he corrected before passing to the next slide. "And this...  _peculiar-looking_  fellow is one of the very few people who know where they are. Everyone, meet Di-".

" ** _Dimitri Lousteau_**.".

Three speechless brothers turned to the not-opossum, who had no qualms in displaying his obvious distaste and hostility towards the displayed picture. The subject in question was a purple marine iguana, with a blue crest starting on the top of his head for hair and another one staring from his chin like a pseudo-goatee. The bruises under his beady red eyes were as deep as his frown. Also, the golden ringers on his fingers, drink in his hand and half-burned cigarette did not help his unfriendly image. The photo only displayed him from the waist upwards, just before he was entering some sort of building, so only a high-collared green coat and orange tank top were visible on him.

"How... how do you know his  _name_? Do you know him?" the team's muscle voiced the mystery lingering in the air.

Taking a deep breath through his nose, Noah removed his claws from the couch (which he had unconsciously punctured in his small fit of rage). "Personally, no. But I just might in the near future, since he's in Inspector Grey's hit list.".

"You mea- _ **OH**_!" the hippo gasped. " _He has one of the CDs?!_ ".

"Unfortunately, for him,  ** _yes_**." Noah smirked dangerously, sharp teeth showing in the corner of his mouth. "Figures a guy like him would end up with one of the parts, but I'm sure Bentley will explain more on that now.".

" _Pfft_ , maybe. Something tells me he needs a minute, though. I think you broke him." Sly supplied in clear amusement, a small knowing smile on his face as he rubbed one of the shoulders of the close by turtle.

Who was continuously rubbing his eyes under the glasses.

" _I'll_ -I'm fine... I just feel like the universe enjoys to...  ** _hammer down_**  its decisions on me a  _little_  too much." was his enigmatic response, before he thanked his friend for the comfort and fixed himself. "That's something I'll leave for  _after_  the rest of my presentation, though." he patiently explained while his bigger friend suddenly started metaphorically vibrating in contained excitement.

No One, despite his confusion, assumed it was some kind of inside joke.

"As I was trying to say before this surprising revelation, _this_  is Dimitri Lousteau. Throughout the recent couple of years, he has ascended to the status of Underworld celebrity. He can be easily spotted in high-class art circles..." he paused to display the next slide, where a photo from a newspaper's article showed him with some of the richest art owners of France. "... and in those shady back-alley crimes." introduced another photo with lower-quality where a figure similar to the iguana appeared to be negotiating with some not-so-nice looking people behind a van. "According to our sources and testimonies, however, he wasn't always in the world of crime. He was actually another young artist passionate about his work, in which he dedicated a lot of time to create a unique and visionary style.".

"Let me guess, the critics didn't like it." the master thief suggested.

"Not really, no." was the reply accompanied by the full first page of a newspaper where they talked about Dimitri's unsuccessful debut in the art world. In the photo that occupied most of it, the purple reptile was hanging from a rope around his middle, hands and tail filled with paintbrushes and a rotten tomato dirtying his hat and face.

" _Mmmh..._  I don't think it's  ** _that_**  bad. Kinda gives off this... ' _kinetic aesthetic'_   vibe which I like." Murray kindly commented, having momentarily calmed down.

"A pity he hadn't met you back then, Murray. Because, after that disaster, he decided to stop his original work and simply focus himself in making forgeries of old masterpieces. Here's a slide comparing the original painting and his." Bentley exemplified.

The raccoon rubbed  _his_  chin in thought. "You know, in his own twisted way, you could see it as a punishment for the critics or those that had _bad taste_. The forgeries are actually really believable.".

"And really profitable too, since he now runs a nightclub in the west-side. It's actually really popular with the young chic demographic, though we have yet to see what is it that makes this place more attractive to them than other clubs.".

"I bet it's the giant _fancy **peacock**_." Noah jested towards the nightclub's front view displayed on screen before the technology expert exited the presentation.

"Do you know anything else that could help us, Noah?" the hippo turned to the demon thief, who moved to be in front of the other three with crossed arms and furrowed brows.

"Before going under-radar, Cornelia gave me a couple of contacts that can send periodic updates on those from her hit list. Just last month, the one that lived near Dimitri's club said he rarely leaves the building alone. The guy can even get to his living place by foot from it.  _ **That**_  plus the fact that he's responsible enough to be trusted with a CD  _and_  a Clockwerk part, means he's careful enough to keep both  _close by_." the addressed young man reasoned.

"Which means the club and his place are the safest bets to find them!" the couch-ridden mammal happily concluded. " _Great job, team_! The heist might have been a bust but we've managed to find the right direction.".

Noah snorted and playfully flicked his fake tail. " _Team_? What, now I'm a member too?".

The three simply exchanged secretive looks with each-other and nodded (they were so  _in-sync_  sometimes it was kind of spooky) before the green reptile cleared his throat, the two others smiling expectantly. "That was actually what I was referring to not long ago. We had a gang meeting while you were away and decided to make you a new proposition.".

No One's shoulders' tensed a fraction. "Go on...".

"It can be simplified to an extension of our...  _partnership_ , in which  _you_  help  _us_  catch the parts and in exchange  _we_  help  _you_  get the remaining CDs.".

"... Just like  ** _that_**? No extra jobs?".

"Well..." the big guy started. "... there's going to be a lot of stuff to do just to get to _each_  part so... maybe a job or two? Not much.".

"And what if my next target doesn't have a Clockwerk piece? Would you change ** _your_**  whole operation to help me out?".

"Would _you_  do the same for us if the roles were reversed?" Sly asked back.

The disguised mammal took a minute to meditate. " _If the circumstances allowed me to_." he murmured to the floor.

"Then, it's gonna be okay.".

An unsure frown still persisted in Noah's face. "And all of you are on board? This entails I have to be always close by and that we have to work together for a long time.".

"Like Murray and Sly, I did say I was going to give you a try. Don't get me wrong, I'm still going to keep an eye on you." he paused to adjust his glasses, earning an eye-roll from the raccoon because of the remark. "Just not  ** _all_**  the time.".

"So..." the pink mammal offered as he stood up and extended an open hand with the palm facing the floor. His brothers put one of their own on top of Murray's. "... what do you say Noah? Wanna be an honorary member of the Cooper Gang and go on an adventure _together_?".

Eyeing the joined hands, the mentioned young man pondered the open opportunity: an experienced team to help him out, guaranteed transport, more resources, the pleasant company... It all sounded too to be true and, deep down, he was aware that accepting this also meant possible teamwork problems, limited privacy, the possibility of them getting closer, getting attached... All things he couldn't afford to happen.  _But then again..._  He thought with a small smile towards the friendly trio.  _... I've faced a lot worse and managed in the end. It's a simple partnership. Nothing more, nothing less..._

And, unknown to all of those present, the four overlapped hands would also seal their paths into one.

For better or for worse?

Only time would tell.

_... I just gotta keep it that way._

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me your constructive opinion! Forgive me for any spelling/grammar mistake you may find.
> 
> See you next time!


End file.
